The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the CBI to inform the court of its stand on taking over of the investigation into the death of film actor Kalabhavan Mani.
The directive was passed on a petition filed by Mani’s brother K.R. Ramakrishnan seeking a CBI probe.
The government had, in a statement filed before the court, ruled out the the possibility of homicide. It added that the chances of his consuming poisonous insecticides accidentally was almost zero. It was revealed from the post-mortem findings that Mani had severe cirrhosis of liver, jaundice, kidney dysfunction, and severe Type 2 diabetics mellitus. Expert opinion on whether the combined effect of these disease conditions had caused his death was yet to be obtained. The police were awaiting the opinion of the experts. it said.
It pointed out that the police had thoroughly probed his financial dealings, his close associates’ enmity toward him, and his association with certain gangs. The conduct of regular visitors to his outhouse at Chalakudy had also been verified. The statement said the police had also examined the possibilities of Mani committing suicide against the backdrop of his chronic alcoholic tendencies. But the behaviour of Mani in the days prior to his death did not point to such possibility.
