The Kerala High Court on Wednesday temporarily suspended the sentences of 4 individuals, including a former CPI(M) MLA, who were sentenced to five years in prison for their involvement in the 2018 murder of two Youth Congress workers in Periya, a town in Kasaragod district.
A bench consisting of Justices P B Suresh Kumar and Jobin Sebastian issued the order after hearing the appeal of the convicted individuals against their sentences. The suspended sentence applies to former CPI(M) MLA and district leader KV Kunhiraman, Kanhangad block panchayat president K Manikandan, Raghavan Velutholi, and A V Bhaskaran.
Last week, a CBI court had sentenced 10 individuals to life imprisonment for their roles in the murders, while Kunhiraman, Manikandan, Velutholi, and Bhaskaran received five years of imprisonment.
The CBI court convicted 14 accused on Saturday, with 10 of them sentenced to life imprisonment under two counts of murder and criminal conspiracy. These sentences will be served concurrently. The 10 accused sentenced to life imprisonment are former CPI(M) Periya local committee member A Peethambaran, Saji C George (also known as Saji), Suresh K M, Anil Kumar K alias Abu, Gijin, Shrirag R alias Kuttu, Aswin A alias Appu, Subeesh alias Mani, Ranjith T alias Appu, and A Sruendan alias Vishnu Sura.
The case, which has drawn significant attention, involves the brutal killings of Youth Congress workers in 2018, leading to extensive legal proceedings and convictions. The court’s decision to suspend the sentences will allow further legal examination as the accused pursue their appeals.
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