Kerala sessions court rejects plea to shift Shukoor murder case to CBI special court

In what comes as a blow to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the murder case of Ariyil Abdul Shukoor, the Thalassery additional district sessions court on Tuesday returned the supplementary charge sheet submitted by the CBI. According to a report by the Times of India (ToI), the CBI had submitted a plea to shift the case to the designated CBI special court in Kochi, which the court rejected.

As per a report by Manorama News, the CBI can approach the Kerala High Court to decide which court should consider the supplementary charge sheet. But the sessions court did not give CBI time to approach the High Court.

According to reports, the court also decided not to consider the discharge petition of six accused in the case. This includes CPI (M) district secretary P Jayarajan and MLA TV Rajesh, who can move the petition in the court, which would consider the case.

The additional sessions judge, T Indira, according to a report by ToI, said the court did not have the jurisdiction to accept the charge sheet as the CBI court is outside the district. The court is also reported to have observed that since it does not have the jurisdiction, the plea for shifting the court could not be considered.

22-year-old Abdul Shukoor was killed near Thaliparamba in Kannur district- a fortress of the CPI (M)- on February 20, 2012. According to the police charge sheet, Shukoor was murdered in a vendetta killing because he was involved in blocking and attacking a vehicle in which Jayarajan and Rajesh had travelled. The murder happened within hours after the vehicle was attacked.

Jayarajan was arrested in August 2012 in connection with the murder and was remanded for 14 days. The arrest had led to protests by CPI (M) activists. The arrest happened after Jayarajan was interrogated for the third time.

Jajarajan and Rajesh had been slapped with section 118 for concealing design to commit offences punishable with death or life imprisonment. The CBI in its charge sheet has also said that both the leaders did not try to prevent the killing of Shukoor despite getting information on the conspiracy.