Kodanad case: Orders reserved on plea seeking to stall further probe

Amid government submission that the heist and murder at former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s Kodanad estate in 2017 required further investigation, especially with subsequent killings and accidental deaths of those involved, the Madras High Court on Tuesday reserved orders on a plea moved by a witness seeking to stall further investigation into the case.

Justice M Nirmal Kumar, before whom submissions were made on behalf of the government and the prosecution witness ‘Anubhav’ Ravi of AIADMK Amma Peravai in Coimbatore, reserved orders for delivery on August 27.

While Advocate General R Shunmugasundaram cited haphazard initial probe necessitating further investigation, Ravi opposed such a move and sought for a direction to hold trial and conduct the proceedings on a day-to-day basis.

He submitted that the Supreme Court had rejected a plea seeking CBI probe into the heist-murder case, while the High Court had on more than one occasion directed completion of the trial within three months. “But despite that, the matter was prolonged and the prosecution has now decided to conduct further investigation,” he complained.

Ravi, a realtor based in Coimbatore,

was reportedly acquainted with prime accused Kanagaraj (since dead) when the latter was one of his friend’s driver in Chennai. On April 28, 2017, Ravi received a phone call from Kanagaraj stating that he and his friends had robbed the Kodanad Estate, and murdered the watchman a few days prior to that. Following this, Ravi advised Kanagaraj to surrender before the police, which he later did.

However, noting that Ravi was known to the surviving prime accused KV Sayan, the police included him as one of the prosecution witnesses in the case.

Meanwhile, the State police also sought eight weeks to complete further probe in the case and submit a report to the court.

It may be noted that three out of the ten accused – D Deepu, MS Satheesan and A Santhosh Samy –have filed a revision petition at the High Court against The Nilgiris sessions court order refusing to grant permission for examining former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, ousted AIADMK leader VK Sasikala and others.

The State police also sought eight weeks to complete further probe in the case and submit a report to the court