CBI told to file report on Moulavi abduction case

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, OCT. 19. The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the CBI to take all steps to complete within six months the investigation into the case relating to the missing of the Islamic Scholar, Chekannur Moulavi, and file a final report.

Mr. Justice J.B. Koshy issued the directive while disposing of a writ petition filed by the Quran Sunnath Society of Malappuram.

The court dismissed a plea of the petitioner that the identity of the suspects be verified. The court said that it might not be possible for the court to verify the identity of accused persons before filing a final report as it might affect further investigation in the case.

According to the petitioner, Moulavi was allegedly abducted on July 29, 1993, from his residence under the Ponnani Police station limits. Though the local police had registered a case and conducted investigations for 18 days, no progress had been made in this regard. Therefore, the investigations had been entrusted with the Crime Branch following a public outcry. However, the Crime Branch too could not make any breakthrough in the investigation or find out the motive behind the alleged abduction even after eight months of investigation. In the circumstances, the relatives of Moulavi had approached the High Court which, however, was satisfied with the investigation. Later, the High Court itself ordered a CBI investigation into the mysterious disappearance of Moulavi in 1996. The petitioner pointed out that despite the lapse of four years, the CBI could not identify any suspects or file a final report. So, the petitioner sought a direction to the CBI to complete the investigation as expeditiously as possible.

The CBI in its affidavit had said that there had been some ideological differences between Chekanoor and other Muslim groups. Those Muslim groups opposed to him were suspected to be involved in the case. Some witnesses said that a group, called- Sunni Tiger, was functioning at the Markaz complex, Kunnamangalam. Even Moulavi reportedly told the witnesses that about a group of 30 persons were attracted to his idea and willing to join the group. The investigation revealed that some of the members of the Sunni Tigers were involved in certain other crimes. The CBI said in his affidavit that some of the suspects had left the country. They might have left the country on forged passports, because their passports had been impounded. The CBI had taken up with the Union Ministry of External Affairs the issue of extraditing these suspects. In fact, there had been no extradition treaty with the countries to which the suspect had fled. Even the CBI had announced a reward of Rs. 3 lakhs for giving information about the missing Moulavi. Unless the suspects were subject to interrogation, involvement of them in the case could not be ascertained. The CBI submitted that every effort was on to nab the culprits.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Pro-CPI(M) group in League remains unfazed
Next     : Rangarajan takes charge