[TP Chandrasekharan Murder Case] Kerala High Court To Consider Mitigating Circumstances Of Accused In Plea For Enhancement Of Sentence

The Kerala High Court heard the convicted accused on the plea for enhancement of sentence in the TP Chandrashekaran murder case. The leader of the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) was murdered due to political rivalry on May 4, 2012.

Last week, the High Court confirmed the trial court judgment and convicted 11 accused under Section 302 (punishment for murder) and Section 120B (criminal conspiracy). It also upheld the conviction of the Trial Court and convicted accused No. 31 under Section 201 IPC (causing the disappearance of evidence and giving false information). The Court also set aside the acquittal of the 10th and 12th accused and convicted them also under Sections 120B read with Section 302 IPC.

The Division Bench comprising Justice A.K.Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Kauser Edappagath today was considering the appeals for enhancement of sentence moved by the State and Chandrashekaran's wife. It enquired from each accused about their special and other mitigating circumstances.

"We have heard accused Nos.1 to 8, 10 to 12 and 18 on the question of sentence. The learned counsel for the accused as also the Special Public Prosecutor submit that they should be given copies of the reports furnished and also that they be given some time to argue on the question of sentence.........Post tomorrow [27.02.2024] for hearing the learned counsel for the appellants and the learned Special Public Prosecutor on sentence", stated the Court. 

The convicts apprised the Court regarding their health issues and family backgrounds while seeking a lesser punishment. Some of the accused persons also stated in the Court that they suffered spine injuries and have health issues from the brutality they suffered at the hands of the police in connection with this case.