Thaindian News

Kochi, June 3 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy Sunday said that a case will be made against CPI-M leader M.M. Mani for his speech that his party has committed murders to finish off their political opponents. However, Mani Sunday alleged that “a political conspiracy” was being hatched to trap him.

“All who heard the speech will not spare our government if we do not proceed against him because he made it very clear the way his party had killed their political opponents. When a leader himself says that they killed their opponents by shooting, stabbing and beating their rivals to death, it is only natural that a case will be taken,” said Chandy to reporters here.

Idukki Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) district secretary Mani sparked outrage when he told a public meeting May 25 that his party believed in tit-for-tat killings and that it had murdered four such political foes in the eighties.

Mani, who surfaced Sunday, said he had not gone underground but was keeping a low profile due to the by-election to the Neyattinkara constituency Saturday.

“It’s surprising that the police have registered a case against me for a speech. I was never underground, I just kept away from the media because of the by-election. A political conspiracy is now going on to trap me. This case against me will be dealt politically and legally,” said Mani in Idukki.

The Kerala police have registered a case against Mani under sections 302 and 109 of the Indian Penal Code.

Soon after his speech was telecast, Mani reportedly went missing and calls to his mobile phone went unanswered and his family said they did not know where he was.

With his utterances putting the party national leadership on the back foot, the CPI-M is meeting in the state capital June 5 to decide the fate of Mani.

Meanwhile, director general of police (DGP) Jacob Punnoose told reporters Sunday that the police will “unravel the truth” behind the statements made by Mani.

“The special investigation team is not going to be cowed down by various statements that are now coming out on this issue. It’s the job of the police to bring out the truth and it would be done,” said Punnoose.