Two more prosecution witnesses in the T. P. Chandrasekharan murder case turned hostile during trial on Monday.
R. Narayana Pisharadi, special judge, Special Additional District and Sessions Court (Marad cases), Eranhipalam, declared them hostile. As many as 47 out of 84 witnesses so far examined turned hostile since the trial began on February 11.
The case pertains to a gang allegedly hired by a section of leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] hacking to death the Revolutionary Marxist Party leader at Onchiyam on May 4, 2012.
Those who were declared hostile were Subina Baburaj of Kurukkanparambu, Korothuvayal and Sreejesh of Panthakal, Mahe.
Both retracted their statements they had earlier given to the police.
Subina was to testify that she had allegedly helped the 28th accused P.M. Rameesh secure a SIM card by handing over her passport size photo and a copy of identity card to his sister, Ramya, a BAMS student at Mangalore. However, she denied that the police had taken her statement.
Retracts statement
Sreejesh also retracted the statement he had earlier given to the investigators that he overheard a conversation among the accused Kirmani Manoj, N.K. Sunil Kumar alias Kodi Suni, K.K. Mohammed Shafi and Vayappadachi Rafeeque, at Village Bar, Pathakkal on April 24, 2012, regarding the conspiracy to kill Chandrasekharan. The accused had been reportedly directed by P.K. Kunhanandan, member of the Panur area committee of the CPI (M) to eliminate Chandrasekharan.
The Additional Director General of Police (Crimes) Vinson M. Paul who led the investigation was present in court to witness the trial on Monday.