Kerala legislator gets bail in murder case

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) legislator T.V. Rajesh was Tuesday granted bail by the Kerala High Court in the murder of Indian Union Muslim League worker Abdul Shukoor in February.

Rajesh was lodged in jail after his anticipatory bail plea was dismissed and he surrendered before a court in his home town Kannur Aug 13.

The next day, he moved a bail application in a court in Kannur which was also rejected. He then moved the high court here for bail.

Rajesh’s counsel told the high court that the legislator be granted bail to serve his electorate. The prosecution did not oppose the bail application.

More than two dozen workers belonging to the CPI-M and its affiliates have been arrested in the murder of Shukoor, 21, near Kannur.

Shukoor was allegedly murdered in retaliation to an attack by suspected Muslim League workers on CPI-M leader and Kannur district secretary P. Jayarajan, who is in judicial custody till Aug 27, and Rajesh.

The Muslim League is the second biggest constituent of the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front.