DGP Loknath Behera rejigs goonda probe team

Kochi: As the police grope in the dark in the investigation against political leaders who made it into the goonda list in Kochi, the director general of police on Tuesday reconstituted the probe team. CPM leader Zakir Hussain and Congress leader and Maradu municipal vice-chairman Antony Ashanparambil are absconding in two separate kidnapping cases, but cops are yet to make any arrest. Police claims the accused have left Kerala. DGP appointed the DySP attached to the District Crime Records Bureau to probe the case against Mr Hussain. Earlier the South CI was leading the probe.

The CPM leader had moved the court seeking anticipatory bail, but the Principal Sessions Court denied it. Mr Ashanparambil also moved the sessions court seeking anticipatory bail. Top police sources claim that both the leaders are in secret locations and they have taken steps to capture them. They say Mr Hussein went absconding soon after the FIR was lodged on October 19, while Mr Ashanparambil is at large for the past few days.

Palarivattom police registered a case against Mr Hussain after Jube Paulose from Vennala filed a complaint alleging that he had threatened him to withdraw from a business deal with Sheela Thomas, a native of Kakkanad. It is alleged that Mr Ashanparambil and his team abducted P.A. Shukkoor, an INTUC leader from Nettoor, and detained him in a secret location and inflicted injuries. Though the goons in the case surrendered he and Jinson Peter, another Congress leader, are absconding. Police says the duo might have left Kerala and a probe team is on the lookout for them.