Three leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M] — C.H. Ashokan, former secretary of the Onchiyam area committee; K.K. Krishnan, member of the same committee; and C. Jyothi Babu, member, Kunnothuparamba local committee — were involved in the hatching of a conspiracy to kill Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) leader T.P. Chandrasekharan, K.V. Santhosh, chief investigating officer, told the trial court here on Wednesday.
Mr. Santhosh, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy.SP), Crime Branch, was deposing before R. Narayana Pisharadi, Judge, Special Additional District and Sessions Court (Marad Cases) here.
Chandrasekharan was killed by a gang allegedly hired by the CPI(M) at Vallikkad, near Onchiyam, Vadakara, around 10.15 p.m. on May 4, 2012. Special public prosecutor C.K. Sreedharan examined the main prosecution witness.
Conspiracy angle
The officer said he had arrested the three CPI(M) leaders and the conspiracy angle came to light while interrogating them.
Both Ashokan (9th accused) and Krishnan (10th accused) were arrested on May 23, 2012 and Jyothy Babu (12th accused) on May 19, 2012.
They had conspired with the assailants to murder Chandrasekharan, he said adding that Ashokan expired on July 5, 2013.
Mr. Santhosh said he took over the case from Jossy Cherian, DySP, Vadakara, following an order by Additional Director General of Police (Crimes) Vinson M. Paul on May 15, 2012. He had secured the custody of C. Rajith (27th accused), P.M. Rameesh (28th accused), K.P. Dipin (29th accused), and M.K. Raveendran, aka Padayankandi Raveendran (30th accused), member of the Orkatteri local committee, at the Vadakara DySP office on May 15, 2012.
Work done
He said he had prepared the observation mahassar pertaining to disclosures made by Rameesh that he, along with Dipin, had initially concealed the weapons in a shrubbery near an orphanage and a double-storey house at Azhiyoor.
He had furnished a report in the court regarding the arrests of K.C. Ramachandran (8th accused), member of the Kunnummakkara local committee of the CPI(M), M. Saneesh (41st accused), K.P. Dishad (20th accused), and P.K. Mohammed Faslu (21st accused). They were arrested by DySP A.P. Shoukath Ali on May 15, 2012.
Copy submitted
Mr. Santhosh also submitted in court a copy of the lookout circular issued by Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) T.P. Senkumar against P.K. Kunhanandan(13th accused), member of the Panur area committee member of the CPI(M), to all seaports and airports to prevent him from fleeing the country.
The officer said he had filed an application at the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on May 25, 2012 seeking to record the statements of T.K. Sumesh, aka Kochakkalan Sumesh, Anshith Narayanan, and K.K. Subin to record their under Section 164 (recording of confessions and statements). Subsequently, the Nadapuram Judicial First Class Magistrate Court recorded their statements.
