CPM Leader’s Case: Kerala HC Acquits 13 RSS Workers
Kerala High Court on Tuesday set aside the lower court’s order and acquitted all accused who are all RSS workers in the case of allegedly murdering CPI-M local leader Vishnu in 2008. The Court acquitted 13 RSS workers in this regard.
The High Court acquitted them while considering an appeal filed by the accused challenging the order of the Additional Sessions Court in Thiruvananthapuram which sentenced 11 accused to double life imprisonment, one accused to life imprisonment and the remaining one to 3 years of jail.
The court observed that sufficient evidence is not there to prove the offence.
The acquitted men are T Santhosh, Manoj alias Kakkotta Manoj, Binukumar, Harilal, Renjith Kumar, Balu Mahendra, Vipin, Satheesh Kumar, Bose, Manikantan, Vinod Kumar, Subash, Sivalal.
Vishnu was murdered on April 1, 2008, in front of the Kaithamukku passport office at Thiruvananthapuram. Vishnu, who was the Branch committee member of CPIM was accused in a case related to attacking RSS workers and the RSS office with crude bombs.
The trial was completed in seven months on special directions from the High Court. Around 77 witnesses were cross-examined and 162 documents and 65 material evidence were examined during trial. They were found guilty by the Sessions Court on December 17, 2016, and awarded the sentence on December 19. (ANI)
