Launching a probe into the larger conspiracy behind the second Marad riot of 2003, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday registered a fresh First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the probe.
The new FIR, submitted before the Ernakulam chief judicial magistrate court, takes a cue from an earlier FIR filed by the Crime Branch and has named Indian Union Muslim League leaders P.P. Moideen Koya and Moyeen Haji; National Development Front activists, and Marad Mahallu Committee members. As per the new case, the accused allegedly funded, conspired and executed the riots.
The case would be probed by the CBI unit in Thiruvananthapuram.
Officials said the CBI would examine the larger conspiracy involving external forces, source of explosives, huge quantities of weapons collected, and source of funds used in the planning and execution of the massacre. The Crime Branch has already handed over all the documents relating to the earlier investigation and a CBI team would soon be reaching the location to start the proceedings.
As part of the probe, the agency would be recording the statements of the witnesses afresh and interrogate the accused once again.
Considering a public interest litigation filed by Kolakkadan Moosa Haji, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court in November last year had asked the CBI to take over the investigation. The State government, which did not oppose a CBI probe, had been directed to provide necessary infrastructure to the investigating agency to carry out smooth conduct of the investigation.
Earlier, the Thomas P. Joseph Commission of Inquiry appointed by the State government had pointed out that the State police had not investigated the larger conspiracy and recommended a probe by Central agencies. The riot, which broke out on May 2, 2003 had claimed nine lives.
