TP Chandrashekharan murder: Key accused arrested
Kodi Suni, the main accused, confesses that the murder was carried out at the behest of CPI(M) leaders’ orders
Kerala police, early Thursday morning, arrested three main accused in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case from a party village in Kannur in Kerala. A police team headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police AP Shoukat Ali along with 20 commandos nabbed Kodi Suni, Kirmani Manoj and Shafi, members of the criminal gang who killed Chandrasekharan on 4 May, from a hideout in the Peringanam forest area.
According to a senior police official, the special investigation team (SIT) tracked them for the past two weeks and carried out searches in hideouts after one of the arrested revealed their lair. Policemen, disguised as workers, reached Irrity and waited for the midnight operation. “Our earlier searches could not yield results and we took all precautions for the night operation. We surrounded their temporary shelter and overpowered all the people who were sleeping in the hut. The moment Suni recognised police presence he tried to take out a pistol and fire at us,” said the official.
With the arrest of three main accused in TP Chandrasekharan murder case, the police has made a major break in the investigation. According to the cops, the arrested persons have been camping in the CPI(M) stronghold for the last 20 days. “We have found out that the shelter was provided by local leaders of CPI(M) and three helpers were provided for their support. We have arrested the helpers also. They were cooking in the shelter. In fact we got an alert from a source that the local shops are sending provisions to the forest areas,” said the police official.
Kodi Suni one of the accused confessed on to the police during interrogation that he carried out the murder at the behest of district leaders of CPI(M) in Kannur. The SIT is planning to summon P Jayarajan, the district secretary of CPI(M), in connection with the murder. “Based on the interrogations and evidence collected during investigation, we have a clear idea of the party leaders’ involvement in the murder. Some of the district leaders actively participated with criminal gang in hatching the conspiracy and others provided them with logistics and cover up,” said the official.
KK Rema, the late Chandrasekharan’s wife, welcomed the arrest of the key accused. “It’s a token of consolation for me. The arrest of Kodi Suni, the notorious criminal and two gang members will expose CPI(M)’s role in TP’s murder. I’d taken a consistent stand that CPI(M) is behind my husband’s murder. Now it has come true,” Rema told Tehelka. Rema, who is a former SFI leader, said, “I’ve only one regret. I’ve worked in the party for many years. TP’s murder shows the CPI(M) is blood thirsty and criminal to the core.”
Mullapally Ramachandran, Union home minister for state, sees arrests of the key accused as a major turning point in the investigation. “When I raised doubts about the involvement of CPI(M) leadership in the murder, they attacked me personally and levelled allegations that I was trying to influence the investigation. But now it’s found that the criminal gang who killed TP Chandrasekharan was under CPI(M) protection. What explanation CPI(M) has to offer,” asked Mullappally. According to Mullappally, the CPI(M) central leadership should take some steps to decriminalise the party. “It’s an open fact that Kerala leadership is under the influence of a criminal coterie. TP Chandrasekharan’s murder has exposed them. As a politician from Kerala, I don’t want it to happen to the CPI(M) as I know many great cadres who still believe in the party.”
The arrest of Kodi Suni has sent shockwaves amongst CPI(M) leaders as the party had taken a stand that it has nothing to do with the murder. But VS Achuthanandan who is waging a war against the official leadership has consistently taken a view opposite to party line. At the CPI(M) Central Committee meet, held in New Delhi last, the murder was discussed and a Pinarayi loyalist A. Vijayaraghavan informed the Committee that the CPI(M) has no role in Chandrasekharan’s murder. But VS Achuthanandan challenged him and made a detailed presentation on the murder.
Finally, the Central Committee directed the state unit to discuss the issue in detail and decided to make an independent probe on the circumstances that led to the murder. The party leadership in Kerala came under severe criticism from members of other states on the way the entire issue was being handled. West Bengal comrades grilled Kerala leadership for mishandling the issue and Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh leaders joined the chorus. With the arrests, the possibilities of the CPI(M) state leadership taking a defensive stand just increases manifold.
