2 accused in Kodanad case remanded

The duo, KV Sayan and KC Manoj were arrested by police in Thrissur on Friday after District Judge P Vadamalai issued an arrest warrant against them for non-appearance on February 8.

The state government too contended that the two key accused were hampering the investigations and intimidating witnesses by making public statements. They were on the run over the last two weeks.

 The duo triggered a storm by giving interviews in television channels that they broke into the estate of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to steal documents at the behest of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.

Upon being arrested, both Sayan and Manoj were produced before the court on Friday night. Their counsel submitted against sending both on judicial custody as they have moved the High Court against cancellation of their bail.

After hearing the arguments, the court granted police custody of the duo till Saturday morning.

The accused, when produced before the judge on Saturday, were remanded to judicial custody till March 4. Sayan and Manoj were then lodged at the Coimbatore Central Prison. The police have been maintaining that there have been no political links in the Kodanad murder and dacoity incidents.