The alleged confession by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker E. Subeesh before the police that RSS workers were behind the murder of National Development Front (NDF) worker Muhammad Fazal of Thalassery has taken a fresh turn with his allegation before the media here that the ‘forced confession’ was extracted by two police officers during his custody.
The alleged confession was in contravention of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) finding that the murder at Thalassery in October 2006 was masterminded by two Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders at Thalassery.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday with his lawyer, Subeesh, hailing from Chembra in Mahe, said the video footage of his alleged confession was the recording of his ‘confession’ extracted from him after torture and intimidation.
He had been nabbed by the police on November 17 last year while he was returning from a trip in his car and kept in custody till November 19. He had been under physical and mental torture then, he said adding that it was later that he came to know that he had been arrested in connection with the case of murder of CPI(M) worker K. Mohanan in October.
He alleged that two Deputy Superintendents of Police in the district were behind the questioning and forced extraction of the alleged confession. Before the torture, the police officers had tried to charm him by offering protection, job, and money if he made the ‘confession.’
During the stage-managed questioning session with recording arrangements, the police officers had even gone for ‘retakes’ when his sound turned feeble. “I am ready to face any inquiry in connection with the case,” he said in response to a question if he would undergo lie detector test.
Subeesh said he had submitted before courts at Koothuparamba and Mattannur here that he had been tortured in police custody. Later, he had moved the National Human Rights Commission and the State Police Complaints Authority citing his torture, he said.
Subeesh’s lawyer said at the press conference that legal action would be initiated against the release of the video footage of the alleged confession under the Right to Information Act as Subeesh was named an accused in another case.
Subeesh’s alleged confession in police custody had kicked up a political row with the CPI(M) demanding a fresh investigation into the Fazal murder case in which the CBI had arraigned eight CPI(M) workers, including the party’s local leaders Karayi Rajan and Karayi Chandrashekharan, as accused.
