The trial in the encounter death of naxal leader Varghese began at CBI court here on Tuesday, 40 years after he was allegedly gunned down in Kerala's Wayanad district on February 18, 1970.
Varghese's two brothers and another person, Prabhakaran Warrier who saw a handcuffed Varghese being taken by police, testified on Tuesday.
Thomas, one of the brothers, informed the court that on the fateful day some policemen came to his house and informed the family of Varghese's death in an encounter.
He had identified the body which was buried at the compound of their house after the Church refused a resting place.
The family had also approached the then Chief Minister of the south Indian state Kerala, C Achutha Menon to probe the incident, he stated.
The case came to limelight a few years ago after a former Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable P Ramachandran Nair revealed in 1998 that he had shot Varghese in the Thirunelli forests at the behest of his superior officers --
the then SP P Vijayan and then Deputy SP K Lakshamanan.
Varghese's brothers and former naxal colleagues then approached the Kerala High Court for a CBI probe. The court in 1999 asked CBI to investigate the death.
CBI had filed chargesheets against Nair, former DGP P Vijayan and former IGP K Lakshmanan.
Ramachandran Nair, who is the first accused in the case, had stated that he made the confession to clear his conscience. He died in 2006.
While Lakhsmanan was present in court on Tuesday, Vijayan failed to appear. The latter had previously approached the Supreme Court, seeking discharge in the case due to his advanced age.
The hearing will continue on Wednesday.