Five CPM workers held for Youth Cong workers' murder in 2019

The CBI is investigating the case after the parents of the deceased approached court alleging that the police probe was unfair

Five CPM activists, including a local leader, were arrested by the CBI on Wednesday in connection with the murder of two Youth Congress workers at Periya of Kasargod in 2019.

The ruling CPM in Kerala has been facing much embarrassment over the case as the Supreme Court also rejected the pleas of the state government to hand over the probe to the CBI. It was alleged that the Pinarayi Vijayan government trying to sabotage a fair investigation to protect the party workers involved.

The CBI summoned the five for questioning and recorded their arrests thereafter. Those arrested include a party branch secretary. They will be produced in a court in Kochi on Thursday, sources said.

The case pertains to the death of Youth Congress workers Kripesh and Sarathlal, who were killed by a gang on February 17, 2019.

The Kerala Police that probed concluded that personal rivalry led to the murder and filed a charge sheet against 14 persons, including local CPM activists. However, the parents of the deceased approached court seeking a CBI probe, alleging that the police investigation was not fair.

The Left-front government spent around Rs 85 lakh from the state exchequer for hiring senior lawyers to fight against the plea for a CBI probe.

Watch the latest DH Videos here: