People's Democracy

T P Chandrashekaran case

N S Sajith

AFTER more than one and a half year long much hyped investigation to trap CPI(M) leaders in the T P Chandrashekaran murder case, the UDF government has suffered an excruciating set back as the trial court exonerated 24 accused including CPI(M) Kozhikode district secretariat member P Mohanan on January 22.

Twelve accused were found guilty by Narayana Pisharody, special additional sessions judge. Prosecution claims that five among them have direct involvement in May 4, 2012 murder case. The court also trashed the conspiracy element by exonerating Padayamkandi Ravindram whose shop was said to be the stage of ‘conspiracy hatched by the CPI(M) leaders’

The whole investigation process of the case was an ample example of political vendetta. CPI(M) district committee member C H Ashokan was dead during the course of the trial after he was diagnosed with a sudden attack of cancer. P Mohanan was chased and arrested by the police as he was returning to Party office with fellow comrades and arrested in the broad day light. The trial which started on February 11 was completed in 159 working days.

76 persons were added in the charge sheet. In the meanwhile the trial proceedings against 15 accused including K K Ragesh, former SFI all India general secretary and CPI(M) state committee member was stayed by the High Court. On September 11 last, the trial court acquitted 20 accused citing the failure of prosecution to substantiate its arguments. CPI(M) Kannur district secretariat member Karayi Rajan and SFI Kannur district secretary Sarin Shashi were acquitted.

This has been the first blow to the government which unleashed an unprecedented and clandestine act of political conspiracy against CPI (M) leaders. Right from the beginning of the trail, most of the witnesses who were terrorised by the police to take a stand against CPI(M) leaders turned hostile.

36 accused including P Mohanan were languishing in the judicial custody without a single chance to avail the bail.

Reacting to the judgement, CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said that all the false build-ups against the party have been shattered by this judgement. The Party has been completely exonerated in the case.