5 CPI(M) workers arrested by CBI in the murder case have been sent to judicial custody till December 15
A former legislator of the ruling Left has been named as an accused in a 2019 murder case in which two Youth Congress leaders were killed in Kerala's Kasaragod district.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the case, has not yet arrested V Kunjiraman. Mr Kunjiraman has earlier represented Uduma constituency in Kasaragod district and is now a member of CPI(M) district secretariat.
"He allegedly helped one of the accused after they committed the crime. His role for now is not directly linked to the murder of the victims. Further probe is underway," a CBI source told NDTV.
Meanwhile, five CPI(M) workers arrested by the CBI in the murder case have been sent to judicial custody till December 15 by the Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate. One of them, CBI sources said, is the party's local branch secretary.
Youth Congress workers Kripesh (19) and Sharath Lal (24) were attacked in February 2019 by men on a motorcycle. Kripesh died in Kasaragod District Hospital and Sharath Lal succumbed to his injuries while he was being rushed to a hospital in neighbouring Mangalore.
The state crime branch had arrested 14 people, including some CPI(M) office bearers, in connection with the case.
However, the five persons sent to judicial custody today are the first arrests made by CBI since the case was handed over to them amid attempts by the state government to legally challenge the court verdict that directed a probe by the central agency.
The central agency has been asked to file a chargesheet by December 4, failing which the accused can seek bail.