KOCHI: The Kerala High Court, after giving compassionate hearing to a petition, filed by the wife of one of Kerala's dreaded criminals "Ripper" Jayanandan and argued by his lawyer daughter, granted permission to him to attend her wedding.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas gave the orders after hearing the petition of Indira whose counsel was her daughter Keerthi Jayanandan.
Though the petitioner sought 15 days parole, the court ruled out that but took a compassionate approach when counsel said she is not asking this as a lawyer but as a daughter seeking the presence of her father for her wedding.
Going through the points of fundamental rights and previous rulings, the judge said even though Jayanandan's previous record is not good as he tries to escape at every given chance, taking into account the basic rights, he can attend the wedding of his daughter.
The court then said the convict can reach his house in Thrissur on March 21 and can be there from 9 a.m till 5 p.m, after which he will have to return to the prison.
On the day of the wedding at Thrissur, on March 22, he can be present there from 9 a.m to 5 p.m , after which he will return to the prison.
The court also ruled that the accompanying police and security personnel should be in plain clothes and shall not interfere with the functions related to the wedding unless circumstances warrant.
It also asked the petitioner and one of her daughters to file an affidavit before the Thrissur Sessions Court that they undertake to ensure his return to the jail as directed.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas is the son of former Supreme Court judge K.T.Thomas.
'Ripper' Jayanandan, 56, who was accused in seven murder cases, was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in one case, while in another murder case, he was given a death sentence, but the High Court commuted it to life imprisonment on his appeal.
He fled once from the Trivandrum Central Jail in June 2013, but in September 2013 he was caught and before that also, he was caught after escaping from the Kannur Jail.