The Crime Branch CID has written to the State government seeking formation of a special court to try cases against ‘Police’ Fakruddin, Bilal Malik and Panna Ismail, the terror suspects involved in a series of grave crimes across Tamil Nadu, including the bid to blow up a convoy of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani near Madurai in 2011.
According to police sources, the Special Investigation Division of the CB CID had mooted the special court to conduct the trial on a day-to-day basis. Once the special court is formed, all the cases would be brought to trial there and the suspects lodged in a prison within a 25-km radius of the court premises, the sources said.
The involvement of the trio is alleged in at least four communal murders, including that of BJP functionaries Dr. V. Arvinth Reddy, ‘Auditor’ V. Ramesh and Hindu Munnani State secretary S. Vellaiyappan. It was also alleged that they played a key role in planting a pipe bomb under a culvert near Madurai. Abubakkar Siddique, who is alleged to have funded the crimes, is absconding, the sources added.
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“We have sought a special court to try the cases in fast track mode. So far, there have been about half-a-dozen cases against these accused and some more cannot be ruled,” a CB CID official said.
In yet another revelation, the CB CID said Fakruddin and his associates were involved in a murder for gain at Gudiyatham in April.
During interrogation, they confessed to having murdered M. Panchatcharam, employee of a jewellery shop, and robbed him of Rs. 1.5 lakh.
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The case registered by the local police remained undetected. It has now been transferred to the CB CID. Fingerprints on a helmet found at the scene of crime are said to be the clue in the case.