Kerala lawyer booked for murder

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A senior criminal lawyer of Kerala was booked on Monday by a special investigation team in connection with the murder of a real estate broker in Thrissur.

Prior to his death, victim V Rajeevan had lodged a complaint with the police, saying he faced serious threat from lawyer CP Udaya Bhanu and others over a property deal. Rajeevan was found murdered in an abandoned house two weeks ago.

Police initially arrested three people for their role in the crime, claiming the trio wanted the broker to return the money they had given as advance payment, which led to an altercation. They later strangled the broker to death and abandoned his body. Later, four more people were arrested.

However, Rajeevan’s son told the police that he suspected the role of the senior lawyer in his father’s death. Weeks before his death, Rajeevan had given a complaint to state police chief Loknath Behera that he faced serious threat to his life from the lawyer and another broker, CO Johnny.

Later, the police recovered CCTV footage which showed the advocate had visited the victim’s house on several occasions.

The lawyer had moved the Kerala high court for anticipatory bail. While hearing his bail plea, the high court had directed the SIT to probe his role, if any, and submit a report. The court had also stayed his arrest.

In the report, the special investigation team claimed that it has “clinching evidence” against the lawyer. Apart from the lawyer, seven arrested earlier too have been named as accused.

The lawyer, however, claimed he was implicated because he represented many high-profile cases.

Sources claimed that a gang was hired to abduct the broker and force him to sign some documents. But when he refused, he was fatally assaulted. They said the lawyer and one of his friends wanted to buy a mango plantation in Palakkad and handed over ₹3.50 crore to Rajeevan. But after the deal failed to materialise, Rajeevan returned only ₹50 lakh, which antagonised them.