16 accused absconding, government tells HC

KOCHI: The state government on Wednesday submitted before the High Court that a total of 16 accused in the Shukkoor murder case are still absconding.
The government made the submission in response to the bail plea of two CPM activists, P Rajeevan and Ajith Kumar, who were arrested in connection with the murder. Appearing for the state, Additional Director- General of Prosecution K I Abdul Rashid submitted that 29 persons are accused in the case.
Of these five were arrested and eight surrendered before the court. “The probe is still not complete. The main culprits are not arrested and weapons are yet to be recovered,” the ADGP said. The witnesses are not coming forward to give statements against the accused as the murder took place in a CPM stronghold, Keezhara Vayal in Kannur, the ADGP said.  The government also submitted that, if the accused were released on bail there was every chance of them tampering with the evidence by threatening the witnesses.