By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
Kasargod: Following agitations and state-wide demands, Kerala Government has appointed M Ashokan as the special public prosecutor in Riyas Moulavi murder case. The committee of Muhyudheen Juma Masjid in Choori received an order to this effect. Riyas was hacked to death allegedly by RSS workers when he was sleeping in his room on March 22 night. Mosque committee functionaries told media persons the order was signed by the Chief Minister.
Led by local political leaders, the committee had given a petition to the Chief Minister urging steps to appoint a special prosecutor in the case soon after the incident. A renowned barrister, Ashokan was the defence lawyer in the T P Chandrasekharan murder case, in which 12 persons, including three CPM leaders, were convicted.
Mosque committee believe the appointment will help the accused get due punishment. Kasargod police have so far arrested three RSS-BJP workers: Ajesh,20, Nithin,19, and Akhilesh alias Akhil,25. The State Government sanctioned the prosecution of the accused under Section 153A in the Indian Penal Code, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion.
Kannur Crime Branch SP A Srinivas, who headed the investigation, had said the killing was motivated by hate for the community.
Soon after his appointment, Ashokan held discussions with the special investigation team and the mosque committee members at the Crime Branch office in Kannur.