Sampath custodial death: No evidence found against former SP
The CBI further submitted that the inclusion of their name in the witness statement was due to an ulterior motive.
Kochi: The Central Bureau of Investigation has submitted before Chief Judicial Magistrate that there was no evidence to prove what exactly transpired between DySP C.K. Ramachandran and the then Palakkad SP Vijay Sakhare on the day Sampath was killed in custody. “There was no evidence to prove exact conversation over the phone between Mr Sakhare and Mr Ramachandran. No material has come on record during the investigation to show a direct or indirect role of Mr Sakhare, arraigned as the 15th accused in the charge sheet on the torture of Sampath at Riverside Cottage of Malampuzha.
CBI reiterated their stand in acquitting Mr Sakhare and the then Range IG Mohammed Yasin in the new objection statement filed before the court. The CBI further submitted that the inclusion of their name in the witness statement was due to an ulterior motive. The objection statement was filed in a revision petition by Sampath's brother Murukeshan. CBI submitted that Mr Sakhare's mobile tower location analysis shows that 'he could not have visited the cottage at Malampuzha' on the fateful day.
The CBI had gone back on the report filed by former chief investigative officer P.G. Haridath arraigning the two IPS officers. Sampath, the prime accused in the Puthur Sheela murder case, died in custody on March 29, 2010. Mr Haridath, who was heading the investigation, had later committed suicide. CBI denied the allegations of Mr Murukeshan that CBI erred in probing the case. Mr Murukeshan filed the review petition after the Ernakulam CJM Court accepted the final report on January 5, 2016.