Kochi:
The Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) suffered a double blow at the hands of the Kerala High Court on Monday as the latter dismissed bail pleas of party legislator TV Rajesh and jailed Kannur district party secretary P Jayarajan, in the murder of Indian Union Muslim League worker Abdul Shukoor.
The high court's denial of anticipatory bail to CPI-M legislator Rajesh paves the way for his arrest for an alleged involvement in the murder of Shukoor, who was killed in February this year.
The court also denied bail to Kannur district party secretary P Jayarajan, who is in judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the murder. He was arrested on August 1.
Jayarajan's counsel August 4 moved a bail plea at the Kannur Chief Judicial Magistrate court and when it was rejected, he moved the high court, which too rejected it on Monday.
Soon after Jayarajan's arrest, Rajesh, sensing arrest, moved the High Court for anticipatory bail, which was also denied.
More than two dozen people belonging to the CPI-M and its affiliates have been arrested in the murder of the 21-year-old Shukoor.
Shukoor was allegedly murdered in retaliation for an attack by suspected Muslim League workers on Jayarajan and CPI-M leader TV Rajesh.
The Indian Union Muslim League is the second biggest constituent of the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front.
Reacting to the court ruling, former health minister and CPI-M central committee member PK Sreemathi said that one is baffled by the way things are shaping up because there is no evidence to link Jayarajan in this case. "This is cruel," said Sreemathi.