KOCHI: The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court has rejected a plea on Tuesday by the accused in the Abhimanyu murder case seeking an in-camera trial, restricting the presence of the media and public.
Principal Sessions Judge K K Balakrishnan passed the order, paving the way for the trial to begin on October 15.
The 16 accused had sought restrictions on the entry of journalists and members of the public into the courtroom and a ban on photographing them during the proceedings. They also sought restrictions on the gathering of college students on the court premises, citing the proximity of the court to Maharaja’s College, where Abhimanyu was a student.
The defence had argued that an open trial could adversely affect the future lives of the accused and that the presence of the public could potentially influence witnesses and their statements.
The prosecution strongly opposed the plea. Special Public Prosecutor G Mohanraj submitted that journalists have the right to report court proceedings and that there was no justification for denying media access to the trial. The prosecution also argued that the police could regulate any gathering of college students near the court premises.
The prosecution further opposed the defence contention that attempts had been made to photograph the accused when they appeared in court on bail, describing the argument as untenable.
The court has fixed a schedule for examining 156 witnesses on October 15. The examination is expected to be completed by November 12.
The accused face charges including murder, rioting, unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation, destruction of evidence and causing hurt with dangerous weapons. All of them have pleaded not guilty.
Abhimanyu, a second-year BSc Chemistry student and SFI unit secretary at Maharaja’s College, was fatally stabbed on July 2, 2018, during a clash involving SFI activists and members of the Campus Front of India, the student wing of the now-banned Popular Front of India. The police filed the chargesheet in September 2018, but the trial was delayed for several years.
The trial will thus begin nearly eight years after the killing.
