The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murder of National Development Front (NDF) worker Mohammed Fazal at Thalassery has taken a new turn with the disclosure of a former police officer who probed the case earlier that the then Home Minister, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, currently Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary, removed him from the investigation duty when the probe led to the suspected role of local CPI(M) leaders.
Former Deputy Superintendent of Police K. Radhakrishnan disclosed to a TV channel that on the 10th day of the murder, the then Home Minister directly told him not to probe the case. Subsequently, he was removed from the investigation. Fazal was murdered on October 22, 2006.
Murder mysteries
Mr. Radhakrishnan further disclosed that there was some mystery behind the murders of BJP worker and advocate Valsaraja Kurup and a former member of the CPI(M)’s ‘action team’, identified as Panchara Shinil, who had passed information of the suspected role of local CPI(M) leaders in the Fazal murder.
The investigation led by Mr. Radhakrishnan zeroed in on local CPI(M) leaders, while the CPI(M) leadership here at that time pointed the finger of suspicion on the RSS. Even the leaders of the NDF (now the Popular Front of India) then believed that the RSS was behind the murder.
The case subsequently was handed over to the CBI following a directive of the High Court on a plea by the victim's widow Mariyu. The CBI arrested eight people, including Karayi Rajan and Karayi Chandrashekharan, CPI(M) local leaders. M.K. Sunil Kumar, alias ‘Kodi’ Suni, who had been convicted in the case of the murder of Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T.P. Chandrashekharan, was named the prime accused in the case.
According to the CBI, the murder was masterminded by Mr. Rajan and Mr. Chandrashekharan because of political animosity.
Mr. Radhakrishnan also linked his investigation into the murder and the physical attack on him by alleged CPI(M) workers at a house near Taliparamba here on December 14, 2006 accusing him of immoral activities. He told the TV channel that he had been brutally assaulted and was under treatment for nearly one-and-a-half years.
The CPI(M) here continues to hold on to its version of the murder that it was carried out by the RSS. An alleged confession of RSS worker Subeesh under police custody that RSS workers were involved in the Fazal murder put the organisation in the dock. However, Subeesh subsequently said his confession was extracted under threat in police custody.
Kodiyeri denies charge
However, according to a TV channel report, Mr. Balakrishnan termed as ridiculous the allegation. Mr. Balakrishnan is reported to have said that he had responded when similar allegation was raised earlier. The former police officer’s allegation was motivated by vengeance as he had faced legal action, the CPI(M) leader is reported to have said. The allegation is being repeated under political pressure, he added.
