By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kochi: Soofiya Madani, wife of People’s Democratic Party chairman Abdunasir Madani, has been named the 10th accused in the controversial bus-burning case in Kochi. The incident took place in September 2005 when a bus of the Tamil Nadu state transport corporation was burned in Kalamassery near Kochi. Soofiya is accused to have taken part in the conspiracy for burning the bus. The Kerala High Court has declined an anticipatory bail for Soofiya. The case will be considered on Monday.
The police have submitted a report at the Aluva Chief Judicial Magistrate Court near Kochi with Thadiyantavide Naseer, the suspected LeT chief arrested from Bangladesh, as the prime accused. However, the police did not reportedly have much evidence for directly connecting Soofiya with Naseer. The recent revelations by Naseer are reported to have given them new clues. The police reportedly accuse that Soofiya plotted and funded the burning of the TN state bus after knowing the plight of Madani in the Coimbatore jail. Abdunnasir Madani was in jail for long 11 years for his alleged role in the Coimbatore blasts of 1998. He was released in 2007 when found innocent of the charges.
Meanwhile, Abdunnasir Madani has refuted all charges against him and his wife. He has reportedly stated that neither he nor his wife had any connections with Naseer or any terrorist organisation. However, he stated that he was ready for any investigation on the matter. Soofiya had earlier asked why she should do things to anger the TN government at a time when Madany’s bail application was in the TN court. Madany’s party had reportedly followed a hard core line of politics earlier. But he has been with the CPI (M) since his release from the jail. Madani had supported the LDF in the general elections, and even shared stage with CPI (M) general secretary Pinarayi Vijayan during the campaigns.
In another development the central leadership of the CPI (M) has reportedly expressed that the party’s relation with the PDP during the elections was wrong. Madani responded to it saying that the party needed not repeat it if it was wrong. He added that he did not support the CPI (M) expecting their help in difficult times.
The Special Invetigation Team had submitted the report on the arson case in Aluva court on November 19. The report presented yesterday is the new one and has accused 13 persons guilty of burning the bus of the TN state. The police had reportedly asked Soofiya to be present at the women’s police station in Kochi for questioning. Soofiya had replied that shecould be present there only on Monday as she was at Calicut for some medical treatment of Madani. Many investigative agencies had questioned Soofiya in the case several times. Both Madani and Soofiya were questioned by the SIT four months ago also.