Sunni leader summoned in murder case
By Kavalam Sashikumar
KOCHI: Relegious leader and all-India General Secretary of Sunni Jam-Iyyathul Ulema is now the 10th accused in a murder case of Chekannur Moulavi,who was a reformist among the Muslim community. Though the police and even the CBI failed to file an FIR against the accused, the Additional Sessions Court (CBI Court) directed the CBI officials to induct him as the 10th accused in the case. According to the CBI chargesheet, Chekannur P.K. Mohammed Abdul Hassan Moulavi, an Islamic scholar, who worked in favour of radical changes in Muslim community and had been missing since July 1993, was abducted and murdered by the accused. The local police investigated the case for so many years and failed to get any evidence in the case. During this times the name of the Kanthapuram Moulvi belonging to the Sunni group of Muslims came up in the media as one of the main accused in the murder. After several agitations by the local people and a long legal battle, the the Kerala High Court asked the CBI to investigate the case. For the last two-three years the CBI had been under fire for not clearing the suspicion on the Kanthapuram Moulavi. The CBI took over the investigation following a High Court directive.
The Judge, while allowing a petition filed by Hawa Umma, wife of Chekannur Moulavi, observed that there were grounds to proceed against Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musaliyar. The Court said that if he were not added as an accused in the case and proceedings were not carried on against him, it would be a negation of criminal justice. The Court also said that if he were not arrayed as an accused now, it would become a colossal waste as trial had to be conducted de novo after including any person as accused in the case. No prejudice would be caused to Mr. Aboobacker except that he would have to undergo the ordeal of establishing his innocence. So, the Court ordered that he be tried along with the other nine accused.
The Court also stopped the ongoing trial and ordered that the trial be conducted de novo after summoning Mr. Aboobacker.
