Kerala govt orders CBI probe into Marxist rebel murder conspiracy

Kerala’s Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government has jolted the opposition Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPM) by ordering a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the larger conspiracy behind the murder of Marxist rebel and Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) leader T P Chandrashekharan.

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala told reporters here on Thursday that the decision was taken on the basis of legal advice given by home secretary and the report of the director-general of police. He said a probe by an agency like CBI was required as the accused had connections outside the country.

The federal agency will be mainly investigating the role of top CPM leaders in the plot to eliminate Chandrashekharan, who had annoyed the party by floating a parallel outfit. A probe by the CBCID probe showed that some accused had maintained regular contacts with CPM leaders through mobile from inside the jail.

K K Rema, the widow of the slain leader had alleged involvement of CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and Calicut district secretary P Jayarajan in the conspiracy in the complaint she lodged with the police. A preliminary probe into her complaint was conducted by a special investigation team led by Additional Director-General of Police Shankar Reddy.

The investigating team had found that the accused, who included several CPM leaders, had links with gold smuggler T K Fayaz, who has been detained under Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (Cofeposa) Act.

The home minister said that the SIT suspect Fayas as the source of the fund used for paying the killers, harbouring the culprits and ensuring VIP treatment to them inside the jail. They have been able to keep in touch with the outside world through internet and smart phones made available to them.

Ramesh said police suspect that the CPM had helped the accused to go into hiding to places like Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa. The protests mounted by the party against the arrest of some accused and intimidating speeches made by some senior CPM leaders strengthened the suspicion. The CBI will examine the telephone conversations made by these leaders.

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