Idukki (Kerala):
CPI(M) leader MM Mani, facing criminal charges over his controversial speech that the party had in the past eliminated its foes, has once again failed to appear before police for questioning.
With the High Court rejecting his plea to quash the FIRs against him last week, police had served a notice to Mr Mani asking him to appear at the office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) at Thodpouzha on Monday.
Mr Mani's lawyers informed the police team that he would not be personally appearing for questioning as he was planning to move the apex court against the high court order.
The lawyers also sought 10-days time for his personal appearance.
This is the second time that Mani has avoided appearing before the investigators.
Last month, shortly after the case against him was registered, he was summoned by police but he did not respond to the notice, holding that he had approached the High Court.
Speculation was rife right from the wee hours today that he would turn up before the police and media persons had assembled in large numbers at the (DySP) office. Security was also strengthened in and around the venue.
Mr Mani had stated that the party in 1980s drew up a list of rivals to be eliminated and killed three of them.
After his public oration brought huge embarrassment to the party as a whole, he was removed as Idukki district secretary by the state committee.
The CPI(M) central leadership also prevailed on the state unit to take action against Mr Mani as his utterances not only defamed the party but also amounted to deviation from the party's line.
Police had last month filed FIRs against him and summoned him for questioning in connection with some of the past cases of political murder.