T P Chandrasekharan murder case: Setback fror CPI(M), HC upholds conviction order by trial court

Kochi, Feb 19 (PTI) The Kerala High Court on Monday upheld the conviction of the accused in the T P Chandrasekharan murder case of 2012.

It also dismissed the appeal of the convicts challenging the trial court order sentencing them.

A Division Bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Kauser Edappagath set aside the acquittal of the two other accused and convicted them for criminal conspiracy in the case related to the murder of Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) leader Chandrasekharan at Onchiyam on May 4, 2012.

The High Court confirmed the judgment of the trial court and upheld the conviction of Anoop, Manoj alias Kirmani Manoj, N K Sunil Kumar alias Kodi Suni, T K Rajeesh, K K Muhammed Shafi, S Sijith, K Shinoj, K C Ramachandran, Manojan and Kunhanandan with respect to the charges proved against them.

The court also noted that Kunhanandan had died during the pendency of these appeals.

The court was considering multiple appeals filed by the convicts seeking to set aside their conviction and sentencing. It also heard the state's appeal to enhance the sentencing of the accused. There was another appeal filed by K K Rema, widow of Chandrasekharan, seeking to convict an accused, who had been acquitted.

"We set aside the acquittal of A10 (K K Krishnan) and A12 (Geothi Babu) and convict them under Section 120 B read with 302 of the IPC. We confirm the acquittal of the other accused," the court said in its order.

The trial court at Kozhikode had acquitted 24 accused, including CPI(M) District Secretary P Mohanan in the case.

Reacting to the verdict, Rema said she was happy with the verdict but will continue the legal fight to bring out the mastermind behind the crime.

"This verdict gives hope to the people that money and authority will not stand in the way of justice. This fight does not end here. I will continue the legal fight to bring out the mastermind behind the crime," she said.

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, said the High Court judgement reveals the conspiracy by the Left party.

"The court upheld the conviction and sentencing of the convicts. The court also set aside the acquittal of two accused. The high court verdict proves the role of CPI(M) in the murder of T P Chandrasekharan," Satheesan said.

The Congress leader said the UDF will support Rema's decision to appeal against the acquittal of CPI(M) Kozhikode District Secretary P Mohanan and other leaders.

Meanwhile, CPI (M) state secretary, M V Govindan "welcomed' the High Court verdict.

"It was a major legal fight that happened in connection with this case. We have already said that party did not have any role in the matter. We interfered when the party leadership was purposefully targeted in the case. It was the UDF which made it political," Govindan said.

The High Court on Monday directed the jail authorities to produce all the convicted before it on February 26 to hear the state government's plea to enhance their sentencing.

The court also ordered to produce before it the two accused who were convicted today.

The accused in their appeal alleged that the investigation team acted in a premeditated manner and created false evidence.

The Kozhikode Additional Sessions Court had in 2014 sentenced 11 accused to life imprisonment and awarded three years' jail term to another accused, Lambu Pradeep.

The convicted included CPI(M) local leaders K C Ramachandran and the late Kunhanandan.

Chandrasekharan (52) was hacked to death by a gang while he was returning home on his bike.

The then United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala constituted a special investigation team to probe the case. PTI