HC stays order for CBI probe into Shuhaib’s killing

Kochi: A division bench of the High Court on Wednesday stayed a single judge bench order for a CBI probe into the recent killing of Shuhaib, a Youth Congress worker in Kannur district, allegedly by ruling CPI-M workers.

The State government had moved the High Court against the single judge bench order contending that the order was passed without taking note of the speedy forensic and fair investigation carried out by the state police and without giving them an opportunity to file a counter.

Justice B Kemal Pasha gave the direction for a CBI probe on March 7 while considering a plea filed by the parents of the Youth Congress worker seeking a probe by the central agency into the killing.

The parents also submitted that since the prime accused, Akash, was close with those in the power, it was necessary to have a free-and-fair investigation in the case by the CBI.

Observing that there should be an impartial and independent investigation into the killing, the judge also directed the state police to hand over the probe to the CBI, besides the case diary and other materials to the agency’s Thiruvananthapuram unit.

The government contended that the judgement was passed within three weeks of the incident (where the accused were unknown at the time of filing of the FIR).

The appeal further said the Special Investigation Team, set up to probe the killing, has later arrested 11 persons involved in the attack and recovered the weapons and vehicles which were used in the commission of offence, it said.

No materials were there before the single judge apart from newspaper reports and FIR produced along with the writ petition, it said.

The single bench order violated the principle of natural justice and the principles settled by the Supreme Court, the government submitted.

Youth Congress worker Shuhaib, 29, was hacked to death at a tea stall allegedly by CPI-M workers on February 12.