KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday commuted the death sentence awarded to 'Ripper' Jayanandan, accused in seven murders in Puthenvelikkara murder case, to life imprisonment without parole.
Ernakulam Sessions Court had awarded the death sentence by considering the case as 'rarest of rare case'.
“The accused had committed murder in an extremely brutal and diabolical manner for money and for gain in property. While committing the robbery, accused committed the murder of a helpless woman, who was asleep in her house. Then the accused chopped off her left hand at wrist and robbed six gold bangles, "stated the Sessions Court in the verdict.
The case was that Jayanandan alias Jayan of Mala murdered Baby alias Devaki, 51, and attacked her husband Ramakrishnan on October 2, 2006. After committing the murder, the accused sprayed kerosene at the place of crime and left after letting the cooking gas on.
According to State police, 'Ripper' Jayanandan is involved in 23 criminal cases registered in several police stations across Kerala. Thrissur Principal Sessions Court had earlier awarded a death sentence to Jayanandan in Perinjanam double murder case. Perinjanam Kovilakam Kalapurackkal Sahadevan and his wife Nirmala were murdered on October 4, 2004.
However, the High Court commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment, considering Jayanandan's appeal.
He is also accused in another five murder cases.