The Kerala police have opposed a plea by some rights activists to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into the killing of a suspected Maoist leader on March 7 in Wayanad district.

The crime branch wing of the state police submitted in the Kerala High Court recently that the petitioner's plea to allow them to conduct a parallel inquiry has no legal backing.

Noting that investigation by the Crime Branch and magisterial inquiry was already on, the Crime Branch, in a statement, said "when the two legal fact-finding procedures are going on, the petitioner's plea for conducting a fact-finding inquiry is not at all tenable."

"If they are allowed to conduct a parallel inquiry, they would influence the witnesses including the poor Adivasis and other local people. The interaction would adversely affect the investigation and magisterial inquiry.

The interaction with adivasis will also create law and order situation," the crime branch said.

It said eight other cases have been registered in and around Vythiri in Wayanad district for extortion against Maoist activists.

If the petitioners have any allegation regarding the investigation or magisterial inquiry, they have enough legal forums for redress of their grievances, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch-Wayanad, Radhakrishnan K K submitted.

Suspected Maoist leader Jaleel, who had a slew of cases against him, was killed in an exchange of fire with police personnel which lasted several hours.

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