Thrissur/ Kochi: The special investigation team probing the Chalakudy Rajeev murder case on Monday informed the Kerala High Court on Monday that criminal lawyer C.P. Udayabhanu is the seventh accused. The prosecution opposing the anticipatory bail plea of C. P. Udayabhanu submitted that there was umpteen number of evidence to implicate him. The SIT is yet to file the report arraigning him in the magistrate court for the HC intervention.
The court allowed Akhil V,R., the son of the victim, V.A, Rajeev, to implead objecting the bail plea. He submitted that Mr Udayabhanu was the kingpin. Facts of the case, he argued, revealed his complicity, and he does not deserve any sympathy. The court adjourned the hearing to October 23. The prosecution, meanwhile, filed the report in a sealed cover. It submitted that the lawyer had contacted Chakkara Johnny and his accomplice Ranjith for 29 times on the day.
It also submitted that six people are under detention. The court made it clear that its earlier interim order will not stand in the way of investigation including procedure issuing notice under section 41 (a) of CrPC for interrogation of the petitioner. Special Branch DySP (Thrissur Rural) S. Shamsudeen, who heads the SIT, said he was confident of a favourable order from the HC on Oct 23. “The SIT doesn’t intend to summon the lawyer by issuing a notice for questioning till then,” he told DC.
While they were on a search after the kidnapping of the victim, sources said, the lawyer rang up Chalakudy DySP Shahul Hameed saying the victim was lying unconscious inside the convent building at Pariyaram near Chalakudy. Later, they recovered his dead body from the building. The lawyer then told the DySP on the phone that a mistake had been committed. The SIT has made the DySP, who had recorded the conversation, a prosecution witness. According to the lawyers and family member of the murdered, the lawyer had given an advance of Rs 70 lakh to him for two land deals worth more than Rs 4 crore, and there were issues between them after the lawyer failed to raise the total land amount due. Mr Rajeev had also moved the HC and the DGP seeking protection as he was facing death threats from Johnny and Udayabhanu.
