Kodanad break-in and murder: Nilgris SP interrogates Sayan in Kovai hospital

COIMBATORE/OOTY: In a new turn to the Kodanad estate break-in-cum murder case, the Nilgiris SP Murali Ramba descended to the plains on Wednesday and made enquiries with Sayan, one of the key suspects in the case who is being treated in a private hospital in Coimbatore.

The police version goes that K V Sayan, alleged to be the brain behind the sensational Kodanad episode, was admitted to a private hospital in Coimbatore five days ago and is being treated for his injuries following a road accident, in which his wife Vinupriya and his daughter Neeha were tragically killed.

Meanwhile, seven personnel were held in the same case and during police investigations they have claimed that they were just a "tool", sources said. It may be recalled that Kanagaraj the slain car driver of former CM, J .Jayalalitha, and his alleged associate Sayan were two persons closely involved in the case.  

After the tragic death of Kanagaraj in a road accident near Salem, police consider "Sayan is the only source to tap more information in this case." However, Nilgiris SP strictly went by investigation protocols as he came down to Coimbatore from the hills only after the confirmation by the doctors about the stable condition of Sayan.  

According to police sources, the SP held a two-hour enquiry with Sayan, being the main witness in this case so far and the entire enquiry session was video-graphed. Police have planned to search the house of Sayan near Madukarai in suburbs of Coimbatore and Kanagaraj's house in Edappadi near Salem.

Mr. Murali Ramba later told the press that Sayan was slowly recovering. Considering his health condition, "we couldn't complete the investigation. The police department is working round-the-clock to look for more witness and investigate the case in all dimensions." The sudden death of Kanakaraj did not affect their investigation, the top police official added. Earlier on Wednesday morning, the SP of Nilgiris, inspected the accident spot at Thennangudipalayam near Salem where former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's car driver Kanagaraj had died in a road accident.   

Kanagaraj, suspected to be involved in the Kodanad case, met with the fatal accident near his native place in Salem two days back when his motorbike was knocked down by a car.

On Tuesday night, the SP along with a special team reached Aathur and held an inquiry with the car driver Rashit for nearly three hours at Aathur police station.

He also conducted an inquiry with the local police and Kanagaraj's relatives regarding his visit to Salem before the accident.

2 picked up in Kerala sentto police custody
Two more suspects, J.Jithin Roy of Malapuram and A.Zamsheer Ali of Wayanad in Kerala, who were picked up in connection with Kodanad break-in case on Sunday in Kerala, were produced at the Judicial Magistrate court at Kotagiri on Wednesday evening.  The court allowed the police to take the duo under police custody for three days.

Sources said that these two accused had been arrested on Sunday by the Areekode police in Kerala in regard to a cheating case in Areekode area. On investigation, it came to be known that this duo were involved in the Kodanad break-in.  The Nilgiris police had rushed to Areekodein Kerala for enquiry.  The cops brought the duo to Nilgiris on Wednesday evening.

Sources further added that the arrested duo are said to have played a role in hiring the vehicles used by the gang to strike at Kodanad estate on the night of April 23.  

It is hoped that further investigation of the two accused would give more clues to crack the case, sources added.