Malappuram: The family members of Palliparamban Manaf, who was murdered at Othayi in 1995, on Thursday alleged that MLA PV Anvar, who was the second accused in the case, was influencing to delay proceedings in the petition against his acquittal in the case.
They also criticised the Police Association for inviting the MLA, whose acquittal has been challenged, and said such an invitation would only help him influence the police.
Anvar, the second accused in the case, was acquitted by the Manjeri Additional District Sessions Court, along with 21 others, after the first witness turned hostile.
Then state government filed an appeal in the high court against the verdict and Manaf's family joined the appeal.
"The court proceedings on the appeal have not started yet. We filed the petition in 2009 and the court accepted it in 2011. Nothing has happened since, The state government should expedite the process and they are not showing any interest," Palliparamban Aboobacker, Manaf's uncle said.
"We strongly feel MLA has been influencing to get the proceedings delayed. We have not received justice even after 29 years," he said.
The family alleged that were offered Rs 50 lakh before going to trial. "The middlemen who approached us told us that Anvar's family was ready to pay up. We did not accept it and told him that we are only ready to accept the apologies from the MLA and the accused," he said.
Manaf, 29, an auto-rickshaw driver and a resident of Vellachal, was murdered in the Othayi market on April 13, 1995. The police arrested prime accused Malankadan Shafeeq (50), of Mundengara in Edavanna and Anvar's nephew, in 2020, 25 years after the incident.
The third accused in the case was Malangadan Sharif, another nephew of Anvar. MLA's father, PV Shoukathali, who was the seventh accused, died before the charge-sheet was submitted.
