Kerala HC slams 'faulty' police probe, orders CBI investigation into killing of Youth Cong workers

Kochi: Finding fault with the police investigation, the Kerala High Court on Monday ordered a CBI probe into the killing of two Youth Congress workers allegedly by CPI(M) activists in Kasargod early this year.

Justice B Sudheendra Kumar also set aside the charge sheet filed by the Crime Branch wing of the Kerala Police which investigated the case. The court gave the order on a plea filed by parents of the Youth Congress workers, who were hacked to death on February 17, seeking a CBI probe into their killing. The court observed that the probe by the Crime Branch was "faulty".

Finding fault with the probe, the court said forensic expert was not questioned and police believed the version of the first accused as gospel truth. It said that those who participated in the conspiracy was not arraigned as accused and dismissed the prosecution version that the incident took place on account of personal vendetta.

"It is a political murder. All the accused are leaders of a political party. The twin murder is a planned one," the court observed as it transferred the investigation to the CBI. The state government had opposed the plea, saying a CBI probe was not warranted in the case as the Crime Branch had investigated the case in a detailed manner despite lack of any eye-witnesses.

Expressing unhappiness over the Crime Branch probe, the petitioners submitted that it was "eye-wash, tainted and malafide and one-sided". The entire investigation team was re-constituted with officers loyal to the CPI(M), the petitioners alleged.

Alleging that the police machinery was controlled by the Left Party, the petitioners said they had no faith in the present investigation, which was "totally partial and one-sided and defective". The Youth Congress workers -- Sarath Lal and Kripesh -- were returning home after attending a function and were stopped by a gang of people who came in a car and hacked them to death.