Mani avoids SIT, faces arrest

Former Idukki CPM secretary M M Mani and the SIT are engaged in a battle of nerves. Mani  on Monday did not turn up before the Special Investigating Team  probing the murder of Youth Congress leader Anchery Baby and the SIT promptly  rejected his plea to exempt him from appearing before it.  The SIT has to  arrest him now as there is no provision to grant him time to move any court, said  K Padmakumar, IG (Ernakulam range).


Mani, who wanted an opportunity to move the Supreme Court against the Kerala High Court’s dismissal of his plea, had sent a letter through his lawyers to the SIT seeking 10 days’ time to face questioning. The lawyers led by P S Biju, N N Mohanan  and Able C Kurian representing Mani arrived at the DySP office in Thodupuzha to submit the letter.


The SIT rejected his letter at a meeting presided over by K Padmakumar who is overseeing the probe into the case.


CPM Idukki Secretary K K Jayachandran told Express that the SIT had not informed Mani about its inability to consider his request.


Harish Salve and Mahesh Jethmalani are likely to represent Mani in the Supreme court, where he is likely to file an appeal at the earliest, sources said.