THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The crime branch found that the investigation in the case of torching the ashram of Sandeepananda Giri was sabotaged in the first investigation. The phone records collected by the investigation team, the handwritten notes of the accused and the information of the CCTV footage have gone missing. The crime branch will submit the report on the incidents to the home department.

The cantonment assistant commissioner first investigated the case registered by the Poojapura police. Later, a team led by the control room assistant commissioner conducted an investigation for more than five months. The case was handed over to the crime branch after this.

On the day of the incident, the accused placed a wreath in front of the ashram with the words 'tribute to Shibu'. The mahasar noting that it has been taken into custody as evidence was submitted in the court. The court later returned it to the station for safekeeping. It has now disappeared from the case file. The police photographer had taken pictures of the wreath. From this digital evidence, the police came to the conclusion that the handwriting belongs to Prakash, the main accused in the case, who committed suicide.

The first investigation team had collected the details of phone calls from the tower of Idea and Vodafone companies in Kundamanakadavu area on the day of the incident. This information is also missing. Of the five CCTV footage collected, two of which clearly showed the bike the accused were riding were also missing from the case file. The crime branch found that the bike was destroyed by the accused after the police received the footage.

The crime branch team that initially investigated the case did not release the matter or inform the higher officials despite knowing that the evidence was missing. Three months ago, the crime branch informed the ADGP of the investigation by a team led by S P Sadanandan, but no further action has been taken yet.

Sandeepananda Giri also complained that the officials who initially investigated the ashram torching case had hidden many things. He said that will file a complaint to the chief minister regarding the investigation of evidence tampering.

A team led by SP Sunil Kumar and DySP M I Shaji had arrested one in the case. Along with issuing the charge sheet, the lapses in the initial investigation will also be reported to the DGP.