Seven persons accused of hacking to death Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T.P. Chandrasekharan had illegally kept explosive substances in their possession, P. Premavathy, Junior Superintendent, Kannur Collectorate, told the Special Additional District and Sessions Court (Marad Cases) here on Monday. Deposing before Special Judge R. Narayana Pisharadi, the prosecution witness said that none of the assailants had a licence for keeping explosives in their custody. She said that she had filed a report pertaining to the illegal possession of explosives by the accused to the police. This was following a direction from the Additional District Magistrate.
The case related to a gang allegedly hired by a section of leaders of the CPI(M) hacking to death Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T.P. Chandrasekharan at Onchiyam on May 4, 2012.
Another witness, Mohammed Rafi, assistant sub-inspector (ASI), Crime Branch, Kozhikode, testified the seizure of a mobile phone used by Lambu Pradeen, 31st accused in the case. Vadakara Deputy Superintendent of Police Jossy Cherian had arrested him on May 15, 2012.
K.J. Benoy Babu, ASI, Kannur police station, a member of the police team who arrested Sreejith and Sudheesh, the 48th and 49th accused in the case, also deposed before the court. The accused allegedly arranged hide-outs for the hired gang at Mudakozhimala in Kannur district.
In his deposition, E.V. Faiz Ali, ASI with Kolavellur police station, said that he had been a member of the team that conducted a raid on the residence of P.K. Kunhanandan, member of the Panur area committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and 13th accused in the murder case.
He told the court that Santha, wife of Kunhanandan, had also been a mahassar witness along with him regarding seizure of an identity card and the passport of her husband during the raid.
V. Babu Ganesh, senior civil police officer attached to the Koothuparamba police station, deposed on an observation mahassar pertaining to second accused Kirmani Manoj identifying the Koothuparamba area committee office of the CPI (M).