[T P Chandrashekaran Murder] Kerala High Court Modifies Judgment, Upholds Conviction Against Two More Accused
The Kerala High Court today confirmed the Trial Court judgment and upheld the conviction of two more persons (Accused 18- Rafeek and Accused 31-Pradeepan M K @Lambu) in the T P Chandrashekaran murder case. The Court had earlier had confirmed the conviction of other accused under Section 302 (punishment for murder) and Section 120B (criminal conspiracy). It had also set aside the acquittal of...
The Kerala High Court today confirmed the Trial Court judgment and upheld the conviction of two more persons (Accused 18- Rafeek and Accused 31-Pradeepan M K @Lambu) in the T P Chandrashekaran murder case.
The Court had earlier had confirmed the conviction of other accused under Section 302 (punishment for murder) and Section 120B (criminal conspiracy). It had also set aside the acquittal of the 10th and 12th accused and convicted them under Sections 120B read with Section 302 IPC.
T P Chandrasekharan, leader of the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) was murdered due to political rivalry on May 4, 2012.
The Division Bench comprising Justice A.K.Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Kauser Edappagath today confirmed the conviction against Accused 18 and 31, as held by the Trial Court.
The Trial Court had convicted Accused 18 under Section 302 IPC and was imposed with the punishment of life imprisonment. Accused 31 was also convicted to three years imprisonment under Section 201 IPC for fabrication of evidence.
The Court thus modified the operative portion of its judgment today, by holding thus:
“We confirm the judgment of the trial court and sustain the conviction of A1 to A8, A11, A13, A18 and A31 (A1 – Anoop, A2 - Manoj @ Kirmani Manoj, A3 – N.K.Sunil Kumar @ Kodi Suni, A4 – T.K.Rajeesh, A5 – K.K.Muhammed Shafi, A6 – S.Sijith, A7 – K.Shinoj, A8 – K.C.Ramachandran, A11 – Manojan, A13 – Kunhanandan, [A18 – P.V. Rafeek & A31 – Pradeepan M.K] in respect of the charges proved against them.
The Court has further directed jail authorities to produce Accused 18 also in person before the High Court on February 26, 2024, at 10.15 am for a hearing on the sentence.
Case title: K C Ramachandran v State of Kerala & Connected Matters
Case number: Crl.A Nos. 172, 174, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 339, 403, 892 of 2014 and Crl.Appeal (Victim) No.571 of 2015