KOTTAYAM: The principal sessions court in Kottayam has found ten accused in the sensational Kevin murder case guilty. The court approved the prosecution's argument that the murder was a honour killing. The guilty include Neenu' brother Syanu Chacko who is the first accused in the case.
However, the court acquitted four accused, including Neenu's father Chacko John. The charges against the ten persons found guilty include IPC sections under 10 sections including 120 B, 34, 449, 427, 506(2), 323, 342, 364, 364 A and 302. The punishment will be pronounced on Saturday.
Though the Court had scheduled the case for pronouncing the judgement on August 14, it postponed its decision to make clarity on prosecution’s argument to award punishment considering it as a honour killing case.
As per the direction of Principal Sessions judge C Jayachandran, the prosecution and the accused’s counsel presented their arguments with regard to the point in the previous hearing. The prosecution, which reiterated its stance, said Kevin was murdered by the accused only because he belonged to a lower caste.
The first accused Syanu Chacko, brother of Kevin’s fiancée Neenu Chacko and their father and fifth accused Chacko John had opposed Neenu marrying Kevin taking into account latter’s caste, the prosecution claimed.
Meanwhile, accused’s counsel defended the argument stating that Chacko had agreed for the marriage of Kevin and Neenu after the compromise talks held at Gandhinagar police station, before Kevin was abducted.
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Since both the accused and the victim were Christians, the case could not be considered as honour killing as Christianity doesn’t accept caste system.
As per prosecution case, Kevin P Joseph, son of Joseph Jacob alias Rajan hailing from Platharayil house, Nattasseri near Kottayam, was abducted and murdered by a gang led by Syanu, to break the victim’s relationship with Syanu’s sister Neenu Chacko.
Two days before the death, Kevin and Neenu had filed a joint application for marriage. While Neenu was sent to a hostel thereafter, Kevin shifted to the residence of Aneesh Sebastian, one of his relative, at Gandhinagar.
In the early hours of May 27, 2018, Kevin and Aneesh were abducted from there and Aneesh was let off later. However, Kevin’s body was recovered from a stream near Chaliyekkara, near Thenmala. The special investigation team led by Deputy SP Girish P Sarathy, which probed the case, submitted the charge sheet on August 21, 2018.
There are 14 accused in the case and based on a preliminary hearing, the court framed charges against all the accused, including Neenu’s father Chacko John and brother Shyanu Chacko, under 10 sections including murder.
Timeline of the case:
May 25: Kevin P Joseph and Neenu Chacko jointly submitted marriage application before sub-registrar office, Ettumanoor. Neenu was sent to a hostel in Athirampuzha, while Kevin stays at his cousin Aneesh’s house at Mannanam
May 25: Neenu’s father Chacko John arrived in Kottayam and met Kevin’s father Joseph. Chacko requests Joseph to dissuade his son from the love affair.
May 26: Neenu’s mother Rehna and relatives arrived at Joseph’s rented house at Nattassery near Kottayam, repeated the request.
May 27
2 am: A 14-member gang led by Neenu’s brother Syanu arrived in Kottayam in three cars. Barging into Aneesh’s house, they destroyed furniture and other house-hold materials and abducted Kevin and Aneesh.
Local residents intimated the incident to Ettumanoor police station, but the case was transferred to
Gandhinagar police station following jurisdictional difference. Hearing about the incident, Kevin’s father and relatives arrived at Gandhinagar station and lodged formal complaint. Station house officer is not present at the station and the police didn’t consider the case with due diligence.
8 am: The gang returned to Kottayam and let off Aneesh and he deposes before the police about the abduction.
11 am: Neenu came to the police station and filed another complaint. But, the SHO replied he was busy with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s visit in the district and complaint will be inquired later.
5 pm: Police commenced investigation and went to Thenmala, the native place of Neenu.
10 pm: Police unearthed one of the cars in which Syanu and team abducted Kevin and Aneesh and arrested Ishan.
May 28, 8.30 am: Kevin’s body was discovered from Chaliyekkara stream, around 20 kms away from Thenmala.
June 1: Police arrested Syanu and his father Chacko
June 2: Police arrested all the 14 accused in the case
August 21: Police completed investigation and submitted charge sheet in the court
November 7: Court admits prosecution’s request to consider the case as honour killing and to expedite trial
March 13, 2019: The court approved the charge sheet submitted by the police and framed charges against the accused. Prosecution pleaded to consider the murder as honour killing.
April 24, 2019: The Principal Sessions court, Kottayam commences trial in the case, accepting the prosecution’s request to conduct trial proceedings under honour killing guidelines.
July 29, 2019: The court completes the trial and posted the case to August 14 to pronounce judgment
August 14, 2019: The court seeks more clarification prosecution’s argument to consider the case as honour killing. After hearing the arguments of both sides, Court posted the case to August 22 to pronounce final verdict.
Accused/Guilty
1. Syanu Chacko (Neenu’s brother)
2. Riyasmon alias Chinnu
3. Ishan Isamyil
4. Riyas Ibrahimkutty
5. Chacko John (Neenu’s father)
6. Manu Muraleedharan
7. Shifin Sajjad
8. N Nishad
9. Tittu Jerome
10. Vishnu alias Appunni
11. Fazil Sherif alias Appus
12. Shanu Shajahan
13. Shinu Shajahan
14. Remiz Sherif
Sections charged against the accused
IPC section 302 – murder
120 B – criminal conspiracy
364 A - Kidnapping for ransom
506(2) – Criminal intimidation
449 – House trespass in order to commit offence
342 – Wrongful confinement
323 – Voluntarily causing hurt
427 – Mischief causing damage
34 - Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention