'No CBI probe required in Muthoot murder case'

Disposing of a petition seeking a CBI probe filed by Vilasini, mother of Kari Sateesh, who was arrested on August 25 in the case, Justice M Shasidharan Nambiar said at this initial stage of investigation, there was no need for issuing any direction.

However, the court reserved the right of the petitioner to approach it at a later stage with the same plea.

In her petition, Vilasini had said no proper investigation had been carried out by police and prayed for a CBI inquiry 'uninfluenced' by any of the political parties or its leaders who have 'close nexus with the crime'.

Director General of Prosecutions V G Govindan Nair informed the court that the investigation was not influenced by 'any external forces'. The court recorded the submission and disposed of the petition.

In Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, Om Prakash and Puthenpalam Rajesh, for whom Kerala Police had issued a lookout notice, surrendered before the fourth judicial magistrate S Selvam, who remanded them in judicial custody till September 11.

The duo were suspected to have travelled with Paul the day he was murdered by a gang in Alappuzha in the wee hours of August 22.

They had escaped from the spot by Paul's car and fled to the neighbouring state, according to police.

Earlier in the high court, the judge criticised Inspector General of Police Winson M Paul, who is heading the probe into the murder, for speaking to the media about the case.

Talking to the media while investigation is in progress was a 'bad trend' he said, adding, the 'media trial' was partially conducted by the investigating agencies.

Meanwhile, Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the additional director general of police, overseeing the probe, had been asked to examine the veracity of media reports on claims of a blacksmith that a police official had approached him and ordered an "S-shaped" knife to be made.

The man hailing from Chathanat in Alappuzha district had made the claim to a news channel on Monday.

Winson Paul had said that the preliminary conclusion of the probe was that George was murdered by one Kari Satheesh using an "S-shaped" weapon.

Later, Satheesh was arrested and the knife, with which he was said to have stabbed George, was recovered from his house.

Satheesh's mother Vilasini had then alleged that the knife was brought by police into the house only to claim that it was recovered from there.