Kochi: In a major embarrassment to the CPM, CBI today indicted a former CPM legislator K V Kunhiraman in the murder of two Youth Congress activists Kripesh, 21 and Sharath Lal, 24 at Periya in Kasaragod in 2019.
Others indicted in the case were Raghavan Valatholi, K V Bhaskaran, Gopa Kumar
(alias) Gopan Velutholy and Sandeep P V (alias) Sandeep Velutholy.
However, the CBI is yet to record their arrest. Yesterday CBI had arrested five accused in the case and they were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrates Court, Kochi, on Thursday.
The CBI disclosed the arraignment of the ex-mla and four others while producing those who were arrested yesterday in the court.
Those arrested yesterday include Raju, Surendran (alias) Vishnu Sura, Shastha Madhu, Reji Varghese and Hariprasad Raju was branch secretary of Achilakudam branch when the murder took place.
The other accused named by the CBI also belong to the same branch. The single bench of the Kerala High Court had ordered CBI investigation in the case after the kin of the victims moved the court against the Crime branch.
The state government challenged the single bench verdict before the division bench of the High Court which upheld the CBI probe verdict.
But it refused to quash the charge sheet submitted by the crime branch.
The state government challenged the division bench verdict in the Supreme Court.
The Apex Court upheld the ruling of the High Court.
The twin murder took place on the night of February 17 in 2019 when the assailants waylaid the two victims who were traveling on a two wheeler in Kasaragod.