The ongoing trial in the lynching case of Attappady Madhu suffered yet another setback when one more witness turned hostile on Friday. With eight key witnesses backtracking from the statements they had given to the police, concerns are high about the fate of the case.
Kali Moopan, a forest watcher on contract, was the 18th witness who turned hostile on Friday. Seven other witnesses, including two forest watchers, had turned hostile since the trial of the case started at the SC/ST Special Court at Mannarkkad on June 8.
The Forest department recently sacked two other watchers for backtracking on their original statements during the trial. The department action, considered as a pre-emptive measure against any further forest staffer turning hostile during the case, proved futile when Kali Moopan changed his statement on Friday.
Out of the eight witnesses who gave confidential statements before the magistrate, only the 13th witness, Suresh, stood by his original statement. The 17th witness, Jolly, who gave a confidential statement two days ago, too had turned hostile. Jolly had originally stated as having seen the accused bringing Madhu captive from the forest.
All the witnesses who turned hostile during the trial said that they had given the statements under duress from the police.
‘Losing strength’
Special public prosecutor Rajesh M. Menon said the case was losing its strength as witnesses continued to turn hostile. A witness protection scheme should be implemented to prevent the witnesses from turning hostile.
According to Mr. Menon, the accused could influence the witnesses as they were out on bail. “This too has been a setback to the case,” he said.
Madhu’s family, meanwhile, expressed despair over more and more witnesses turning hostile. His sister Sarasu, with tears in her eyes during a chat with the media the other day, said the witnesses were asking for huge amounts of money for not backtracking on their statements. There were pressures on the family against pressing the case. She said they had been threatened by some persons. Some accused had offered the family a house worth ₹40 lakh for withdrawing from the case.
The case
It was on February 22, 2018 that Madhu from the Chindakki tribal hamlet near Mukkali, Attappady, was killed after he was caught, tied, and beaten up by a group of local people alleging theft. The incident got wider publicity as it was projected as lynching of a tribesman.
However, the trial could not begin for four years and four months for various reasons, including the refusal of the government special prosecutors to take up the case. Three prosecutors were appointed, but none took up the case.
When Madhu’s family, supported by some rights organisations, raised a banner of protest, the government appointed C. Rajendran as special public prosecutor. However, when the first two witnesses turned hostile soon after the trial began on June 8 this year, Madhu’s family approached the High Court seeking that the trial should be stopped and Mr. Rajendran should be replaced.
The government, acting in accordance with a High Court directive, replaced Mr. Rajendran with his deputy (Mr. Menon), with whom the family placed much trust.
