‘Jayarajan knew it all’

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A diktat that emanated from a hospital room culminated in the murder of Muslim League activist Abdul Shukkur, the director general of prosecution (DGP), T. Asaf Ali, has told the Kerala high court.

He said chances of framing charges under section 120B (criminal conspiracy) against CPM Kannur district secretary P. Jayarajan could not be ruled out.

The submission was made when the bail plea of Jayarajan, the 38th accused in the sensational murder case, came up for hearing on Thursday. Justice S.S. Satheesachandran reserved the plea for orders.

Twenty three-year-old Shukoor was hacked to death in a Taliban-style killing following political rivalry, the DGP submitted while opposing the bail plea of the accused.

According to DGP, Jayarajan was aware of the direction given by Venu, 30th accused and local leader of the party, to ‘handle’ Shukoor.

“By refusing to disclose the design to kill Shukoosr, Jayarajan committed a grave offence and he is not liable to get bail. If Jayarajan informed the police, the death could have been averted,” the DGP argued.

To strengthen the argument, the DGP produced the case diary on Shukoor, marking the statements of two key witnesses.

“A total of 712 cases were registered in the last hartal organised by the CPM protesting against Jayarajan's arrest.

The state exchequer has incurred a loss of Rs 2.23 crore due to the attacks carried out by CPM activists. More than 118 policemen were assaulted by CPM activists across the state,” he said.

Statistics showed how powerful Jayarajan was. The DGP termed Jayrajan as chief priest and added that he was next only to CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.”

“By creating violence across the state, Jayarajan and his party wanted to convey a message that he was above the law,” the DGP argued.

Meanwhile, Jayarajan’s travel to the Kozhikode Medical College from jail in a private vehicle was termed as negligence on the part of the police, according to north zone DIG (prisons) Shivadas Thyparambil who submitted a primary report to the home department.