Kochi, Sep 19 (IANS): The CBI court in Kochi on Thursday dismissed the discharge petitions filed by the two former CPI-M MLAs in the Ariyil Shukoor murder case which took place in Kannur in 2012.

The former two legislators - P. Jayarajan and T.V. Rajesh - are accused 32 and 33 respectively. They had approached the CBI court with a discharge petition seeking discharge from the case. However, the CBI court dismissed the petition and asked them to face trial.

Shukoor a young Indian Union Muslim League worker was held hostage by a gang and brutally killed in Kannur in 2012.

Shukoor was targeted because he had allegedly attacked a vehicle in Kannur in which Jayarajan and Rajesh were travelling.

Soon after the brutal murder of Shukoor, the local police arrested the two top party leaders as accused and arrested both. They later secured bail.

The two are alleged to have hatched the plan to eliminate Shukoor inside a hospital in Kannur.

Based on a petition of Shukoor’s mother, the Kerala High Court ordered for the CBI to take over the probe.

Reacting to the court’s directive, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan welcomed the decision.

“The Congress-led UDF has for a long time stated that when a political murder happens it takes place with the knowledge of the state and district level leaders of the CPI-M. Shukoor case is a classic case of it, where the CBI has produced the evidence that the conspiracy in this murder took place at a hospital in Kannur,” said Satheesan.