The ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) government has given a new turn to its stand-off with the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) referring the investigation into the violence and destruction of property on the Speaker’s podium in the Kerala Assembly on March 13 to the Crime Branch.
The government issued the order transferring the case to the Crime Branch late on Monday evening. A local police team headed by an assistant commissioner was probing the case, referred to the police by Speaker N. Sakthan. The Assembly had suspended five Opposition MLAs in connection with the incidents for their role in the destruction of the mike, computer and light on the Speaker’s table.
Official sources said the decision to handover the probe to Crime Branch was taken at the highest level of the government. The investigation team was getting ready to record statements of the LDF legislators. The team has already taken statements of the watch and ward personnel and Legislature staff.