Fasal murder: CJM court issues production warrant for Karayis

The Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Thursday issued a production warrant to the superintendent of the district jail to produce two CPM leaders - Karayi Chandrasekharan and Karayi Rajan- the seventh and the eighth accused in the Thalassery Fasal murder case on Friday.

Magistrate P Sasidharan further allowed the petition filed by the CBI seeking 10 days’ custody of the accused. However, the court did not mention the duration of the custody. The court will take a decision in this regard on Friday.  The duo had surrendered before the Magistrate Court following a non-bailable arrest warrant issued by the court and have been remanded in  judicial custody till July 5. The CBI submitted that further investigation in the case is going. Two more accused involved in the murder have to be identified and their connections with the conspirators have to be proved, the CBI said.

Counsel for the petitioners Sojan Michael contended that police custody could not be allowed since the probe in the case is over and the court had taken cognizance of the offence. To which the CBI submitted that it is yet to recover one more motorcycle used by the assailants and to collect more evidence. The two leaders had masterminded the murder and deployed criminals. Though they were examined earlier, the duo absconded and prevented custodial interrogation, the CBI said.

However, the court held that the objection of the petitioners that the Magistrate Court has no authority to release the accused in CBI custody is not correct. “Custodial interrogation is necessary in the case to get the details regarding two unidentified persons. So the custody of the accused can be allowed,” the court said.