Main witness in Aneesh Raj murder case flees

KATTAPPANA: The main witness in the Aneesh Raj murder case fled the state due to the death threat received from CPM leaders.  The witness identified as Raju (63), a CITU activist fled as he received threat from CPM leaders asking him to retract his statements. The Nedukandam police had registered a case against CPM district secretariat member and Idukki district cooperative bank former president P N Vijayan and Kalkoonthal local committee member Pavanraj.


Raj had given a secret statement at the Kattappana court following threat. The court had handed over the copy of it to the police. He fled the state after informing circle inspector A K Vishwanath that he would appear before them as and when needed.


Aneesh Raj, SFI district vice president was murdered on March 18, 2012. Raju, a witness in the case, failed to appear in the court on May 4 even after obtaining summons asking him to appear before them. It later turned into a warrant. He was hospitalized for four days by the directive of the party. He told the court that he was threatened to retract his statement by P N Vijayan and Pavanraj.