The Kerala High Court on Friday asked the State government to respond to a petition against the decision of the State government to transfer the officer investigating the twin murder case at Kuniyil, Malappuram.
Justice C.T.Ravikumar adjourned by two weeks the hearing on the petition.
The petition was filed by Villan Kadeeja of Ernadu and Nusrath Jahan, Nedumkandathil Pulickal of Malappuram, wives of the slain persons.
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They said M.P Mohanachandran, investigating officer and Malappuram Narcotic Cell Dy.SP., had been transferred to Kasaragod with a view to sabotaging the investigation which was now in the final stage.
No valid reason had been cited for his transfer to Kasaragod. The petitioners pointed out that he was transferred fearing a strong possibility of a sitting MLA belonging to a ruling party being chargesheeted in the murder case. The petitioners asserted that the transfer order was issued with a view to removing the official off the investigation team.
The petitioners submitted that the transfer of the investigating officer at this stage would cripple the investigation. They pleaded that a directive be issued to the government to keep the transfer in abeyance.
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Kolakkadan Aboobacker and Kolakkadan Azad were stabbed to death at Kuniyil New Bazaar by a gang on June 10 last year.
The police had rounded up most of the accused, which included relatives of Atheek Rahman who was killed on January 5 evening at Kuniyil in the wake of dispute over a football match.