Jolt for Kerala as SC allows CBI probe into Cong workers' murder

New Delhi/Kannur (Kerala): The Pinarayi Vijayan government on Tuesday suffered a huge setback when the apex court upheld the verdict of the Kerala High Court's division bench to hand over the probe into the murder of two Youth Congress workers to the CBI.

The Kerala High Court's single judge bench and then a division bench ruled in favour for a CBI probe and this was contested by the Vijayan government in the Supreme Court.

The family members of the victims and the Congress have been demanding a CBI probe from the outset, saying that the police had failed to arrest the real accused, who, according to them, are senior CPI-M leaders in Kasargode who had conspired to eliminate the two young Congress workers.

The Vijayan government had come under huge fire from various quarters after they decided to approach the division bench against the single judge bench verdict.

The gruesome murder took place on February 17 last year.

Youth Congress workers Krupesh, 19, and Sharath Lal Joshy, 24, were attacked by three motorcycle-borne men while returning from an event. While Krupesh died at the Kasargode district hospital, Joshy succumbed to his injuries on his way to a medical facility in Mangaluru, Karnataka.

Local CPI-M leader A. Peethambaran is the prime accused.

Reacting to the apex court verdict, Krupesh's father said finally they have won the first round as they feel the CBI will do a clean job.

"Vijayan's government has brought us only sadness, first when we lost our children and then he did his best for the truth not to come out. His police probe would not have given us justice and now we are banking on the CBI and we are certain for the truth to come out. We are thankful to all who supported us," said the grieving father.