Kerala: HC grants bail to CPI(M) leader Jayarajan

Kochi: Kerala High Court on Monday granted bail to CPI(M) Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan, arrested in connection with the politically sensitive murder of IUML activist Abdul Shukkoor in February.

Justice Babu P Mathew Joseph granted the bail and directed Jayarajan to furnish a bond of Rs 25,000 and two sureties for the like amount. The court turned down the prosecution plea to restrain Jayarajan, arrested on August 1, from entering Kannur. The charge sheet in the case was filed in a lower court in Kannur on August 23 listing 33 accused, all of whom are either CPI(M) workers or supporters. While Jayarajan and MLA T V Rajesh have been charged under section 118 of the IPC for not trying to prevent the murder even after getting information on the conspiracy. Shukkoor was murdered on February 20 at Keezharara in Kannur. This is the second bail plea of Jayarajan as his earlier application was dismissed by Justice SS Sateeshchandran on August 13. PTI