Kerala - Alappuzha   

Demand for investigation into financier's death

Staff Reporter

Police-goonda-politician nexus alleged

ALAPPUZHA: V.A. Hakkim, chairman of Nyaya Vedi, a North Paravoor- based non-governmental organisation and V.S. Radhakrishnan, SC/ST Protection Front chief coordinator have demanded a probe into the "police-goonda-politician" nexus behind the killing of Everest Chit Fund managing director T.G. Ramesh and three others in a car accident at Kanichukulangara recently.

The police on Friday confirmed that the accident was the result of an organised plan to kill Ramesh.

They arrested the two accused — Unni of Palluruthy and Ajithkumar of Kochi — from Aroor on Friday.

The Alappuzha Crime Detachment Dy.SP. P.A. Johnson said that Unni had driven the lorry that hit the Tata Safari in which Ramesh was travelling. He said that the arrested had confessed to having been directed by R. Saju, Public Relations Officer of Himalaya group of companies to execute the murder. The police also said that they doubted the involvement of the owners of the group in the murder.

At a press conference here on Saturday, Mr. Hakkim, who was Ramesh's advocate, said that the owners of Himalaya group had close links with an MLA from Ernakulam district and a State Minister.

Mr. Hakkim said the MLA and the Minister had been present at various functions organised by the Himalaya group although the names of its owners were in the rowdy list of North Paravoor police station.

If political leaders were ready to be present with those with criminal background at public functions, it meant that there were many deals between them, Mr. Hakkim said.

Although there were many complaints against the Himalaya group, the police had not probed the issue.

Mr. Radhakrishnan alleged the Himalaya group owners had been responsible for attacks on innocent people in Cherayi, but the police had always protected them.

He said the police had failed to take action in complaints against the Himalaya group owners because of their political influence and money power. Mr. Hakkim said that on the day of the tragedy, the Mararikkulam sub-inspector and circle inspector were eager to dismiss it as a normal accident.

"They did not write in the First Information Report that there were doubts that the accident was an organised murder despite my written complaint," Mr. Hakkim said.

Mr. Hakkim demanded that the real culprits be arrested

immediately and brought before the law.

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