Heated arguments were exchanged in the district sessions court in Udhagamandalam as defence lawyers representing the accused in the Kodanad heist-cum-murder case questioned the locus standi of lawyers appearing before the court representing a prosecution witness who had moved the Madras High Court a few days ago seeking a stay on further investigations in the case.
K. Vijayan, one of the lawyers representing the accused, said that the defence questioned the reasons for lawyers representing the prosecution witness “Anubhav” Ravi, appearing before the court, which had led to heated arguments.
District judge-cum-Chief Judicial Magistrate, Udhagamandalam, C. Sanjai Baba, posted the next hearing in the case for September 2. Forensics experts, as well as the manager of the Kodanad Estate and an official from TANGEDCO have been asked to appear before the court as witnesses.
“Eight of the accused in the case could not appear before the court on Friday due to the high number of COVID-19 cases in Kerala,” said Mr. Vijayan.
There was speculation that the prosecution would submit details of the inquiry conducted with the prime accused in the case, including K.V.Sayan, who was quizzed by the Nilgiris district police for over three hours last week. However, no fresh evidence was submitted in court by the police on Friday.
