Kerala court sentences 15 convicts to death for murder of BJP leader Ranjith Sreenivasan
The Additional Sessions Court in Mavelikkara had on January 20, found the 15 accused guilty of the murder of BJP leader and lawyer Ranjith Sreenivasan.
FollowA Court in Kerala has handed down death sentences to 15 persons convicted for the murder of BJP leader and lawyer Ranjith Sreenivasan in December 2021. The Additional Sessions Court Mavelikara, in a judgment on January 20, found the 15 accused, allegedly associated with SDPI, guilty in the case.
The court determined that the primary eight accused were directly involved in the murder, while the remaining individuals were found guilty of criminal conspiracy. The convicted individuals include Nizam, Ajmal, Anoop, Md Aslam, Salam, Abdul Kalam, Safaruddin, Munshad, Jazeeb, Navaz, Shemir, Nazeer, Zakir Hussain, Shaji, and Shamnaz.
On December 19, 2021, Ranjith Srinivasan was brutally murdered in his residence near Vellakkinar, Alappuzha, as attackers invaded his home in the presence of his mother, wife, and daughter. The assault was perceived as retaliation for the killing of SDPI State Secretary KS Shan, who was fatally attacked on December 18 of the same year in Mannancherry, Alappuzha.
Alappuzha DYSP NR Jayaraj conducted a thorough investigation and filed a chargesheet for the case, presenting over 1,000 documents and more than 100 mainours as evidence. The evidence included fingerprints, scientific findings, CCTV footage, and route maps prepared with the assistance of Google Maps.
In light of the serious nature of the case, stringent security measures were enforced in the district, with a significant police presence around the court premises. The accused were securely brought to the court under heightened security. The prosecution underscored the exceptional nature of the case, urging the court to mete out the maximum penalty.
Of the accused, 12 were found guilty under Section 302 (murder) read with Section 149 (Every member of an unlawful assembly guilty of an offense committed in prosecution of a common object) of the Indian Penal Code, while the remaining three were convicted under Section 302 (murder) read with Section 120B (criminal conspiracy).
Ranjith's body bore approximately 56 wounds, with his face rendered unrecognizable. The prosecution presented the argument in court that this case is exceptionally rare.
"A very impartial investigation was conducted in the case. The police thoroughly gathered all evidence. A hit list was discovered on the mobile phone of one of the accused, with Ranjith Sreenivasan listed as the first name," asserted the prosecutor.
