CBI officials booked under political pressure

KOCHI: Political intervention from the top prompted the state police to register a criminal case against three CBI officials in connection with the Unnithan murder attempt case.
Sources in the state police revealed that a day after DySP Abdul Rasheed was arrested, top ministerial instructions were issued to a highly placed police official, directing him to register a case against the CBI officials. Based on the direction, the police filed cases of custodial torture against the three officials, including CBI Kochi unit SP.
According to sources, the directions were issued after a meeting between the minister and the top police officer at Ernakulam Guest House last week. The meeting was held after Rasheed fainted at the court complex, and instructions were issued to file a case.Though the CBI officials had submitted a medical examination report of Rasheed in which no injuries were reported, the minister ordered that a case be registered on the basis of the complaint given by Rasheed’s brother.
The CBI officials revealed that they were under immense political pressure after the investigation into the Unnithan murder attempt case began.
“We suspect that some politicians tried to exert their influence with the intention of diverting the course of the case.” It was the political intervention which prevented Rasheed’s arrest for the last one year, they alleged. “However, we are determined to go ahead with the investigation, irrespective of whatever political pressure we have to face,” a CBI official said.
Meanwhile, the Ernakulam North police have started a probe into the case registered against the CBI officials. The CBI, on its part, has already submitted a medical report before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, stating that Rasheed had no injuries on his body
 Even when he was admitted to Thrissur Medical College, the doctors there could not detect any illness. Sources in the Kakkanad District Jail, where Rasheed is lodged currently, also said that he was fit and has no physical problems.

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