The Kerala High Court has upheld a previous order slapping Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against CPM leader P Jayarajan in the Kathiroor Manoj murder case.
A division bench of the high court upheld a single bench's order which had found it reasonable to charge the accused under UAPA. Jayarajan and other accused had challenged the single bench's order.
The murder of the RSS leader in Kannur, which dates back to 2014, is being probed by the CBI. According to the CBI, Jayarajan, the 25th accused in the case, is the main conspirator behind the murder. Jayarajan, a former district secretary of the CPM in Kannur, wields huge influence among party cadre in the northern district.
The other accused are CPM Payyannur area secretary T I Madhusoodanan, Thalassery East Kathiroor natives Kunnumel Rijesh, Kattyal Meethal Mahesh, Kulappurathukandi Sunilkumar and V P Sajilesh.
Kathiroor Manoj, RSS's Kannur district Sareerik Sikshan Pramukh, was murdered on September 1, 2014. Manoj, who belonged to a family of CPM supporters, joined the RSS after the death of his father.
There was an attempt on his life in 1997 allegedly by CPM activists. In 1999, Manoj was arraigned as an accused in a case relating to a murder attempt on Jayarajan.
The CBI has found that there was another unsuccessful attempt to murder Manoj in 2009.