CBI invokes anti-terror law in RSS worker Manoj murder case

New Delhi: In a surprise move, the CBI Tuesday invoked a stringent anti-terror law while registering a case in the murder of an RSS worker in Kannur district which is alleged to be a fallout of a long-standing political rivalry between the CPI-M and RSS.

CBI registered the case against unknown people under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act besides various sections of IPC including murder and the Explosives Substance Act, agency sources said.

The Centre had issued a notification yesterday to the CBI for registering a case in the murder of the RSS worker on September one. It is alleged that a gang of workers of a rival political party hacked E Manoj to death after attacking him with deadly weapons and country-made bombs in Kathiroor area and also attempted to kill Pramod, who was accompanying him. 42-year-old Manoj was a district RSS office-bearer.

There are allegations that the attack and murder was due to animosity among political groups in the district, the CBI said. Kannur district in north Kerala has a volatile history of rivalry between the CPM and the RSS. Both sides have lost several workers and leaders in the past. RSS and BJP leaders have alleged that the CPI(M) was behind the killing of Manoj.

Kerala’s Home Department had last month issued the notification for handing over to CBI the case of murder of Manoj. The state government had decided to hand over the case to the CBI on the basis of a report from state police chief K S Balasubramanian, who did not rule out the possibility of of the murder having inter-state and even foreign links.

Manoj was allegedly involved in an attack on CPM leader P Jayarajan in 1999 and was sentenced in 2005 along with five others by a district sessions court in Kerala to 10-year rigorous imprisonment. However, the sentence was stayed by the Kerala High Court.