Periya twin murder case: CBI Court sentences ten persons to double life imprisonment
KOCHI: The CBI court in Kochi on Friday awarded life imprisonment to 10 of its workers for the murder of Youth Congress activists Sarath Lal P K and Kripesh at Periya in Kasaragod in 2019. The court also sentenced four others, including CPM ex-MLA K V Kunhiraman, to five-year jail term. This could be the first time a former legislator in Kerala is sent to jail after being convicted in a murder case.
The court awarded the life term under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 120(b) (conspiracy) to Peethambaran A, Saji George, Suresh K M, Anil Kumar K, Gijin, Shrirag R, Aswin A, Subeesh (accused 1-8), Ranjith T (10th accused) and A Surendran (15th accused). While Ranjith and Surendran were part of the criminal conspiracy, the other eight were part of the group that murdered the Youth Congress workers.
Though two separate life terms were awarded to the 10 convicts for murder and criminal conspiracy, the court maintained that the sentences would run concurrently. They have also been ordered to pay Rs 2 lakh each as fine Rs 1 lakh each for murder and conspiracy charges.
Kunhiraman (former Udma MLA and CPM Kasaragod district secretariat member), Manikandan (Kanhangad block panchayat president), Raghavan Velutholy alias Raghavan Nair (former CPM Pakkam local secretary) and K V Bhaskaran were sentenced to five years of simple imprisonment under IPC Section 225 for taking away accused Saji George from a police vehicle after the crime. The court cancelled the bail granted to convicts, including Kunhiraman, and they were shifted to the Viyyur Central Jail.
Judgment satisfactory: CBI prosecutor
Pronouncing the quantum of sentence, CBI Court Judge N Seshadrinathan observed: “The evidence and circumstances narrated during the trial led the court to the irresistible conclusion that accused 1 to 8, 10 and 15 are responsible for the double murder. Similarly, the prosecution succeeded in proving the guilt of accused 14, 20 to 22 who rescued the second accused apprehended by the police and thereby committed the offence.”
The court had earlier acquitted Murali A, Pradeep alias Kuttan, Manikandan B, Balakrishnan N, Madhu A alias Sastha Madhu, Reji Varghese, Hariprasad A, Rajesh P alias Raju, Gopa Kumar V alias Gopan Velutholy and Sandeep P V alias Sandeep Velutholy in the case.
CBI prosecutor Bobby Joseph Y termed the judgment satisfactory. “We had requested the court to award maximum punishment to the accused. The Supreme Court has set a guideline to determine a case as rarest of rare to attract capital punishment."
"This case did not come under the guideline for attracting capital punishment. However, the court has granted the maximum possible punishment to persons who were directly involved in the murder. Four convicted persons, including former MLA Kunhiraman, were never even remanded in the case. They will be going to the jail for the first time in the case,” Bobby Joseph said.
K Padmanabhan, who represented the families of the deceased persons in the court, expressed happiness over 10 accused being awarded life imprisonment. “The victory would have been sweeter if the acquitted persons who were part of the conspiracy, were also convicted in the case. However, we are satisfied with the effort put in by the CBI.
It is due to the evidence collected by the central probe agency that an ex-MLA of the CPM has to go to jail now,” Padmanabhan said. While imposing a fine of Rs 2lakh each on the 10 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment, the court ordered that Rs 1lakh imposed for criminal conspiracy should be paid to the parents of the deceased persons in equal proportion as compensation.
Sarath Lal, 23, and Kripesh, 19, were waylaid and murdered by eight men at Periya on February 17, 2019. In an incident prior to the murder, first accused Peethambaran and co-accused Surendran alias Vishnu Sura were assaulted by Sarath Lal and others on January 5 that year at Kalliot in Kasaragod following a clash between KSU and SFI members. According to the CBI, the Youth Congress workers were attacked in retaliation.
Following the directive of the Kerala High Court, the CBI took over the probe in December 2020. The state government had challenged the HC’s decision to hand over the probe to the CBI at the HC division bench and the Supreme Court. Former Congress leader C K Sreedharan, who had joined the CPM a few years back, appeared for accused persons.
Responding to reporters queries while being shifted to the jail, Kunhiraman said the legal battle will continue. “Five years is not an issue. My innocence is a truth. The legal battle will continue,” he said
‘Not fully satisfactory’
Kochi: Parents and close relatives of murdered YC workers Kripesh and Sarath Lal P K said the CBI court verdict was not fully satisfactory.
LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Peethambaran A, Saji George, Suresh K M, Anil Kumar K, Gijin, Shrirag R, Aswin A, Subeesh , Ranjith T and A Surendran
Under IPC section 302 (murder) and 120-b (conspiracy)
5-YEAR JAIL TERM
K V Kunhiraman (former Udma MLA and CPM Kasaragod district secretariat member), Manikandan (Kanhangad block panchayat president), Raghavan Velutholy alias Raghavan Nair (former CPM Pakkam local secretary) and K V Bhaskaran
Under IPC Section 225 (obstructing lawful apprehension of another person)