On Monday, The Kerala High Court ordered a CBI enquiry into certain aspects of the probe regarding the murder of RSS worker Sanjith, who was hacked to death, reportedly by PFI and SDPI members in November 2021. FC Justice K. Haripal pointed out that the case had hideouts outside the jurisdiction of Kerala State Police and thus, notified for an investigation by the CBI.
While making a case for the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the matter, the Court said that the State Police Chief had also raised concerns about the case earlier. The High Court order was in response to a plea filed by Sanjith’s wife Arshika, who had asked the court for a CBI investigation in the matter. Opposing this plea, the state government had notified that the case is almost ready and the final report is likely to be submitted by February 10, 2021. As of now, one of the eighteen accused in the case is left to be arrested. The state has claimed that the last accused will too be arrested soon.
On November 15, 2021, A 26-year-old Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh worker Sanjith was hacked to death in front of his wife in Ellapully, Palakkad. In broad daylight, the assailants who came in a car waylaid Sanjith’s bike and attacked him in front of many people including his wife. As per reports, many of the accused in the case were linked to the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the extremist Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI).
On November 25th last year, Mohammad Haroon, the key conspirator behind the case was arrested by Kerala Police. Haroon was actively involved in planning the murder along with other associates from the SDPI. A few days after the involvement of the political outfit was clear, Sanjith’s family had demanded an NIA probe in the matter. Sarath, Sanjith’s brother had alleged that the ongoing investigation was not being done in a proper way. According to him, Sanjith had faced similar attacks in his lifetime, in one of which he had a hand injury.
