Kerala HC orders CBI probe into IUML activist's murder

The Kerala High Court on Monday ordered a CBI probe into the murder of Abdul Shukoor, an activist of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), in which certain Left leaders are allegedly involved.

The high court order came on a plea of Shukoor's mother that the police probe was not moving in the right direction.

Shukoor, 22, activist of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) youth front, was killed by alleged Communist Party of India-Marxist activists in full public glare in February 2012.

Kerala Police had named 33 people as accused, including Kannur CPI-M district secretary P. Jayarajan and party legislator T.V. Rajesh.

The two Left leaders were arrested and jailed but later got bail, following which the police probe slowed down.

Hearing the plea of Shukoor's mother, Justice Kamal Pasha said it was most surprising that police were not able to include the names of the two CPI-M leaders in the conspiracy aspect of the case. The court cannot be a mute witness to this grave injustice, he added.

The development comes at a time when Jayarajan is awaiting a high court decision on his anticipatory bail in the Kathirur Manoj murder case, now under probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

A lower court had denied bail on three occasions to Jayarajan in the case. He is now admitted to a hospital near Kannur after the lower court also denied him an anticipatory bail last month.