The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a Kerala government appeal against the State High Court’s decision to transfer further investigation into the Periya double murder case to the CBI.
A Bench led by Justice L. Nageswara Rao earlier, in September, refused to stay the High Court order to have the CBI investigate the murders of two Youth Congress workers at Periya in Kasaragod district. The Bench at the time had even indicated that it would not intervene if the Central agency had already made “substantial progress” in the investigation.
Kerala State counsel, advocate G. Prakash, reacted that the order of the top court was to have the CBI “further investigate from the point where the SIT left”.
Kripesh and Sarathlal were hacked to death by three motorcycle-borne men in February last year. The police had arrested some suspects, including a local CPI(M) leader, A. Peethambaran.
A Single Bench of the Kerala High Court had pulled up the State police for lapses in the investigation, including not holding a forensic examination of the murder weapons. The High Court had then transferred the case to the CBI.
The parents of the two men have alleged the involvement of ruling CPI(M) party’s leaders. The State government, represented by senior advocate Maninder Singh, had contended that this was not a “rarest of rare” case which needed the CBI’s attention.
During the hearing, Mr. Singh had highlighted the work of the State’s 20-member strong SIT which had arrested the accused persons. He had asked why the CBI was brought in when the State police had competently and professionally done its job.