Kerala High Court upholds CBI probe on Shukkoor case

Kochi: Kerala High Court on Thursday upheld a single bench order directing CBI to probe the murder of Muslim League activist Abdul Shukkoor of Kannur. A division bench dismissed the appeal filed by CPM leaders P. Jayarajan and T. V. Rajesh, MLA, two accused in the case. “The single judge could not be found fault with ordering a CBI probe into the case when justice was meted out through the criminal justice system fairly and without fear or favour. The investigation was expected to reveal and not conceal," the court held.  It further observed if the investigation stops under external pressure that would be the death knell of the criminal justice system.

Referring to the case diary the bench observed: "There was material before the state police chief who concluded that the case needed to be further investigated and that the investigation at the hands of the state police couldn’t be 'safe' procedure on the scale of criminal justice delivery system and because of the prominent political persons involved." "The single judge was satisfied that the the investigation was not fair and that there were earnest efforts to surreptitiously include Mr Jayarajan and Mr Rajesh from being proceeded against on the count of criminal conspiracy and alleged matters."