Kerala: Broker murder suspects hint at lawyer role
Johnny and Ranjith were presented before the magistrate and sent to judicial custody.
Thrissur: The first accused and an accomplice in the murder of a real estate broker in Chalakkudy have given statements against lawyer C. P. Udayabhanu citing his involvement in the crime, sources close to the investigation have said. The first accused Chakkarakkal Johnny of Angamaly and his accomplice Ranjith were picked up from a resort near Mangalam Dam in Palakkad on Sunday night. They were subjected to a marathon questioning at the DySP office in Chalakkudy by the SIT since morning to evening on Monday. They were first reluctant to agree that the senior criminal lawyer had anything to do with the murder and later when the SIT members presented before them the details of the land deals involving Mr Udayabhanu, Mr Johnny and the victim Rajeev of Angamaly, they gave a statement against them, they said.
However, both Rural SP Yathish Chandra and investigation officer S. Shamsudheen refused to comment on the remand report of Johnny and Ranjith in which the police is said to have mentioned the statement collected from the duo against Mr Udayabhanu. “The statement given by the accused has no legal standing unless we have proper evidence and the details of the remand report can’t be revealed now. But, whatever information we have extracted from the accused persons, we will conduct and a thorough inquiry into all the aspects,” Mr Shamsudheen told DC.
Johnny and Ranjith were presented before the magistrate on Monday evening and were sent to judicial custody. Johnny has also stated that he too had land and money deals with the victim, and his reluctance to give back the money he owed was the reason for enmity. Johnny and the murdered Rajeev were previous business partners, and after they split, Johnny had alleged that he owed him a hefty sum. Rajeev was kidnapped on Friday morning by six persons from Pariyaram in Chalakudy and strangled and smothered to death at an abandoned building of a convent called Sisters of Destitute there a few hours later while they were forcing him to sign certain documents.
