The CPI(M) is in a dilemma over the stand it should adopt towards the Kerala Government’s recommendation for a CBI probe into the brutal murder of RSS leader Manoj at Kathiroor near Thalassery in Kannur district on September 1, allegedly by a Marxist killer gang even as the police arrested an active CPI(M) worker in the case on Monday.
Though the central leadership thinks that it would be wise not to oppose the CBI investigation in the prevailing circumstances, leaders of the party’s Kannur unit are worried about the prospects of such a probe. The CPI(M) is already in the dock over the murder as all the accused belong to it and many more are under the shadow of suspicion.
The general feeling among the top CPI(M) leadership is that opposing the CBI probe at this juncture could be interpreted as an indirect confession of the party to the crime especially after it has rejected allegations of its involvement. As a matter of fact, the top leadership is yet to discuss the matter in detail.
The party’s Kannur unit is in agreement with the thinking of the central leaders in principle, but it is worried about the course the CBI investigation may take. The focus of the current probe by the Kerala Police is on the party and the CBI is most likely to follow the same course as all available evidences are against it, they feel.
When Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala announced on September 6 the State Government’s recommendation for a CBI investigation into the Manoj murder, the Kannur CPI(M) was quick to allege that the Congress-led UDF Government had yielded to the pressures of the RSS and BJP.
The CPI(M) is still firm in its claim that it has no role in the Manoj murder but it is steadily losing the war of perception. Apart from the fact that all the accused are CPI(M) activists or sympathizers, the special investigation team of the Kerala Police’s Crime Branch has brought many in the local leadership in Kathiroor into the purview of its probe.
According to sources in the national leadership, it would be bad public relations strategy in the current situation to oppose the recommendation for the CBI probe. But local leaders in Kathiroor and Thalassery are worried that the situation for them would be far worse than it is now if the CBI arrests any partyman apart from those currently listed as accused.
Manoj (42) of Elanthottathil, Kannur district Sharirik Shikshan Pramukh of the RSS, was hacked to death by a Marxist killer gang at Kathiroor on September 1. Manoj’s friend Pramod (50) had suffered serious injuries in the attack. The killers had attacked them after creating a terror scene by hurling country bombs at the vehicle in which they were travelling.
Meanwhile, the special investigation team on Monday arrested a CPI(M) activist, Prakasan, in the case. Prakasan, a local committee member of the CPI(M), had helped first accused Vikraman to flee the crime scene and to go into hiding later, according to the police. This was the second arrest the police had made in the case.
Vikraman, first of the eight accused named in the FIR, had surrendered before a Kannur court last Thursday. Prakasan had also helped Vikraman, who suffered injuries during the attack on Manoj, to get medical help and in reaching the court for surrendering, according to sources in the police. The SIT has already identified all members of the killer gang.