KOCHI, Jan 22, 2010: In a major development in the Paul George Muthoot murder case, the Kerala High Court on Thursday ordered the investigation of the case to be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice S R Bannurmath and Justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan directed that the investigation be completed within six months and the final report filed.

“In order to assure the kin of the victim of this heinous crime a fair, proper, complete and impartial investigation, it is just and proper to direct the CBI to conduct the investigation as there are various allegations against the investigation conducted by the local police,” the court said.

The directions were issued on a petition filed by Paul’s father M G George, alleging that the investigation conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was not proper and had not proceeded in the right direction.

Paul was murdered on August 22, 2009. A couple of days after the murder, the police asserted that the murder was not a pre-planned operation. The police said that the murder took place as a result of road rage and some altercation. The police tried hard to save the infamous gangsters Om Prakash and Rajesh who travelled with Paul on that fateful night. Instead of taking Paul to a hospital, the duo fled the scene with the vehicle and absconded for several weeks. The car was found abandoned enroute to Trivandrum the following morning. Before the car was taken into custody, the gansters' friends came and collected their luggage.

Inspector General Vinson Paul hurriedly held a press conference in Allepey a few days after the murder. He spoke as if the whole investigation was over. The responsibiity for the murder was placed on a gang that met Paul and his fellow travellers by chance on a highway. The IG described the shape of the dagger (S-shaped!) that was used for the murder even though the weapon was yet to be recovered. The High Court wondered how an IG of Police could describe the entire murder plot without investigating the whole case in all angles. It appeared even to the general public that followed the case through press reports that the IG was acting on orders from above in order to protect someone. The court severely criticised IG Vinson M Paul for conducting a press conference.

The statements suggest that the IG was laying the foundation for the entire prosecution case,” the court said.

Interestingly the investigation that followed the IG's press conference followed the script laid out by him. The police did "unearth and S-shaped weapon from the residence of an accused. The grandmother and mother of the accused say that the police planted the weapon in their house. A media sting operation even claimed to have found a blacksmith who made an S-shaped knife for the police!

The court said that the investigation by the SIT was unfair, improper and incomplete, apart from suspicious and tailor-made. “Minimum truths such as who were in the car, what happened on the way, why Paul who was heavily drunk drove the car along with two other drunk friends when his driver Shibu was with them still remain unrevealed,” the court said.

Even after the gangsters Om Prakash and Rajesh had surrendered in a Tamil Nadu court, the Kerala Police handled them with kid gloves. “The police officer in the rank of assistant commissioner who took Om Prakash and Puthenpalam Rajesh into custody, travelled with them in the police van for around five hours before they were taken to central jail. Their statements had to be recorded immediately, but that was not done. The investigating officer has not denied this,” the court noted. “What was the need of such a press conference when the motive, involvement and identity of the accused and other details were unknown? Such press briefings should be stopped as the secrecy of the investigation is lost and the accused would be forewarned.

Opposition parties in Kerala have been claiming that the gangsters who travelled with Paul have deep political connections. It is suspected that the duo were a part of a deep conspiracy to eliminate an emerging business tycoon Paul M George. Who stands to benefit from the death of Paul? That's for the CBI to investigate during the next six months - a deadline set by the High Court.