The Kodanad massacre and dacoity, which shook the political foundation of the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, is again in the news. A court on Thursday fixed the matter for October 1 hearing and gave four weeks to the prosecution to submit a status report after interrogation with more witnesses.
Located near Kotagiri in the Nilgiris district, Kodanad Estate is surrounded by hills and tea plantations, and was once a favorite summer resort of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. However, it was named as one of the disproportionate assets earned by AIADMK leader and his close aide VK Sasikala. Then, in 2017, the murder of the estate’s security guard, a dacoity at Jayalalithaa’s luxurious bungalow, the suicide of an estate employee and three alleged road accident deaths created a long period of political storm in the state.
Kodanad Case: Twists and Turns
It all started when the estate’s security guard, Om Bahadur, was murdered in April 2017, with things like expensive watches and a crystal rhinoceros statue in the bungalow looted. The investigation of the case was started under the AIADMK government. According to the police, Om died during the robbery while another security guard Kishan Bahadur was seriously injured. Eleven people have been named as accused, including Sion (a former driver from Kodanad), who came in three vehicles, including two high-end SUVs, in connection with the incident. Of the 11 people, two prime suspects, Sion and Kanagaraj, were suspected to have been involved in the accidents a day apart. Kanagaraj had reportedly died in an accident in Salem. The next day, Sayan was reportedly involved in a road accident in which he lost his wife and daughter. Subsequently, a CCTV operator at Kodnad Estate also allegedly took his own life in July 2017. However, the police do not know the whereabouts of the only eyewitness to the robbery in the estate.
According to officials, Kishan Bahadur had recorded his statement but was allowed to return to his home in Nepal, so his current location is unknown. Forensic experts had said that the evidence was tampered with before reaching the crime scene as several top bureaucrats had reached the Kodanad estate. Sion is demanding further investigation saying that he will have to confess before the court. In a 16-minute documentary released by journalist Mathew Samuel in 2019, Sion and another accused, Walayar Manoj, alleged that the then Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami had given a contract for the robbery. EPS immediately denied the allegation.
political line
Two contradictory petitions were filed in the Madras High Court, one seeking the interrogation of Palaniswami and Sasikala in the case, while the other sought a stay on further investigation. The Kodanad case has sparked heated debates, while Tamil Nadu’s primary parties, the DMK and AIADMK, are pointing fingers at each other. The matter reached the Tamil Nadu Assembly, when the AIADMK accused the DMK of political vendetta and the DMK said it was working to fulfill its poll promises. The ruling party says a fresh probe into the Kodanad case will help unravel the mystery and bring justice to the affected.
With the permission of the court, the police conducted an investigation on 17 August and obtained a “secret confession” from Sion. They are also investigating Kanagaraj’s brother Danpal. The Nilgiris Superintendent of Police inspected the police personnel on duty in Kotagiri. On the day of the incident, the Kodanad Estate Manager, forensic experts and the electrical engineer of the estate are to be interrogated in the court in Kodnad, Kadmattam and Gudalur areas.
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