Kochi, Feb 27 (IANS): The Kerala High Court on Tuesday sentenced all twelve men convicted for the murder of former CPI-M leader T.P. Chandrasekharan, aka TP, in Kozhikode in 2012 to rigorous life imprisonment, terming it a "barbaric" crime.
"The barbaric nature of the crime where an unarmed man was hacked to death on a highway by six armed assailants who had no known enmity against him but were mere assassins and co-conspirators need to be condemned in a befitting manner. Showing undue leniency to the accused in such a case will undermine public confidence in the efficacy of our legal system," it said.
The court also clarified that nine of these convicts will have to undergo at least 20 years of imprisonment before they can even apply for a remission (early release) of their sentence.
The nine convicts sentenced on these terms are Anoop, Manoj Kumar, N.K. Sunil Kumar (Kodi Suni), Rajesh Thundikkandi, K.K. Muhammed Shafi, Sijith S., K. Shinoj, K.C. Ramachandran, and Manojan.
For two other convicts, K Krishnan and Jyothi Babu, the court upheld the life sentence, but without this rider.
"As regards Krishnan and Jyothi Babu, we find that although the gravity of the offence proved against them warrants a treatment similar to the others, Krishnan is now 76 years old, frail and weak with many medical issues and the other is undergoing medical treatment for multiple ailments. We therefore sentence then to undergo imprisonment for life without curtailing their right to remission," it said.
The life sentence earlier imposed on another convict, P.V. Rafeek by the trial court was also upheld.
The court also held that it was of the view that a sum of Rs 7.5 lakh to the wife and Rs 5 lakh to the son of the deceased would be reasonable and adequate.
It was on May 4, 2012, that the gang of assailants rammed their car into the bike driven by Chandrasekharan. After he fell on the road, they hacked him to death with swords.
Chandrasekharan, once an influential local leader of the CPI-M in Kozhikode district, had fallen out with the party in 2008 and floated a new outfit called RMP, which reportedly posed a challenge to his former party.
A trial court convicted twelve of the 36 persons accused on May 4, 2012, and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
The verdict that came on Tuesday was based on the appeal petition that was filed by the convicts and appeals were also filed by the Kerala government and KK Rema, the wife of the slain leader, who sought the enhancement of sentence and challenged the trial court's decision to acquit the remaining accused.
Rema said the punishment that has been revised is a happy one and they will go to unravel the larger conspiracy by approaching the apex court.