THOOTHUKUDI: Thoothukudi district sessions court on Friday sentenced two persons to life imprisonment, including six years rigorous imprisonment, for murdering Murapanadu VAO Lourthu Francis. The judgment, which included a fine of Rs 3,000 each, was pronounced against Ramasubramanian alias Ramasubbu (42) and Marimuthu (32) within five months of the incident.
The Madras High Court intervened in the case and appointed Thoothukudi Rural Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Suresh to investigate and file the charge sheet so as to conduct a speedy trial. According to the charge sheet filed by Suresh on June 21, Ramasubramanian, accompanied by Marimuthu, murdered the VAO as he was denied anticipatory bail in a river sand theft case registered against him on a complaint given by Lourthu Francis to the Murapanadu police.
The case was shifted to Thoothukudi Sessions Court from the Srivaikuntam court after the charge sheet was filed and the hearing began on August 21 after evacuating a discharge petition filed by the second accused Marimuthu. The court examined 31 witnesses during the trial. Thoothukudi Principal District and Sessions judge M Selvam, hearing the case on its 24th day, sentenced Ramasubramanian and Marimuthu on charges framed under sections 449, 302 and 506(ii) of IPC.
According to public prosecutor Mohandas Samuel, the judge awarded five years RI and Rs 1,000 fine to the convicts for trespassing into a government office with deadly weapons, one year RI for criminal intimidation and a life sentence with Rs 2,000 fine for the murder. The sentences will run concurrently, he said.
Lourthu Francis was murdered by the convicts on April 25 at the Murapanadu Kovilpathu VAO office. While 15 cases are pending against Ramasubramanian, six are pending against Marimuthu. Most of the cases are related to the selling of illicit arrack and sand theft. Speaking to TNIE, Marshal, son of the VAO who practices law at various high courts, said, “We will move legally in accordance with appeal petitions of the accused.”
