Kodanad case: Arrest warrant issued against Manoj

Seven accused persons, Santhosh Sami, Deepu, Satheeshan, M Kutti alias Bijin, Jithin Joy, Zamsheer and Udhayakumar, turned up for the hearing on Monday.

However, M Siva Kumar, the counsel for Manoj Sami, submitted a petition explaining reasons for his client’s absence in court.

Unsatisfied over his absence, District Judge P Vadamalai issued an arrest warrant against Manoj Sami. He also dismissed the leave petition moved by Siva Kumar, before posting the case for the next hearing on March 4.

In the last hearing on February 8, the judge had cancelled the bail and issued arrest warrants against K V Sayan, Walayar Manoj, Deepu and M Kutti alias Bijin for non-appearance.

The police subsequently arrested Deepu and Kutti, while Sayan and Manoj absconded. The latter duo triggered a controversy by giving media interviews, in which they claimed that they broke into the estate of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to steal documents kept there. They also claimed that they executed the burglary at the behest of ChiefMinister Edappadi K Palaniswami.

The dacoity incident led to the murder of a security guard on April 24, 2017. The police have also issued a lookout notice to all airports to prevent Sayan and Manoj from fleeing the country. The cops have been maintaining that there are no political links in the Kodanad incident.