Youth Congress workers murder case: CBI court bans publishing of witnesses' statements

A CBI court in Kerala's Kochi on Thursday directed the media not to publish the statements of witnesses in the Periya twin murder case where two Youth Congress workers were brutally killed in the state's Kasargode district in 2019.

The accused include top local CPI-M leaders and also a former CPI-M legislatore.

Special judge, CBI K. Kamanees has also barred the entry of media in the court hall for reporting the case, but the statements of government officials listed as witnesses in the case has been excluded and could be reported.

The prosecution wanted the media to be kept out of the court during trial to save witnesses in this highly-sensitive political case from coming under duress.

The court, however, did not go into the allegations of threats to the witnesses, but felt that publishing the references made by the witnesses during the trial will be against the interest of justice.