Crime Branch DySP N Abdul Rasheed was on Monday arrested by the CBI in connection with the V B Unnithan murder attempt case.

Crime Branch DySP N Abdul Rasheed was on Monday arrested by the CBI in connection with the V B Unnithan murder attempt case. Rasheed, 10th accused in the case, was asked to appear at CBI office here and was then produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate court, where he was remanded in two days’ CBI custody. The CBI submitted that Rasheed had conspired with another Crime Branch DySP Santhosh Nair to assault Mathrubhumi reporter Unnithan. The journalist was targeted for writing a story about police officers, who attended a party thrown by a liquor contractor at Government Guest House, Kollam. The CBI has charged Rasheed under Sections 120B, 201, 212, 307, 324, 326 and 341 IPC which include criminal conspiracy, attempt to murder and destruction of evidence.

The CBI stated that Rasheed had assigned the job to attack the scribe to first four accused - Rajesh alias Happy Rajesh, S Mahesh, V R Anand and Shafeeq. The CBI submitted that one of the prime accused Santhosh alias Container Santhosh had revealed the involvement of Rasheed in the case. It also said that it had received train ticket and reservation chart of the day when Rasheed pulled emergency chain while travelling in the Rajadhani Express, about which Unnithan had reported. The CBI stated that Rasheed’s arrest will unravel the larger conspiracy behind the attack. He was presented before the CJM court in the evening. Rasheed spoke to reporters there, even after being restricted by the CBI officials. He said that he was innocent and the CBI had knowingly made him an accused. Rasheed is the state president of the Kerala Police Service Officers’ Association.