KANHANGAD: A CBI team has inspected the CPM area committee office in connection with the murder of Youth Congress activists Sharath Lal and Kripesh in Periya. The CBI also recorded the statement of CPM leader and Kanhangad block panchayat president K Manikandan. Manikandan is the 14th accused in the case.

The inspection was led by CBI DySP Ananthakrishnan. After explaining the matter to the office secretary, the CBI officials went inside the office and collected details about the accused. The twin murder took place on the night of February 17, 2019. According to the Crime Branch investigation report, four of the accused stayed at the CPM's area committee office and the other four stayed at a house in Velutholi village on that night.

The list of accused includes 14 people, including Peetambaran, a former CPM local committee member. 11 of them are in remand in Kannur Central Jail. According to the chargesheet, the crime was committed by eight people. The CBI is examining whether the report of the previous probe team is accurate.