Kerala Twin Murder Case: High Court Grants Relief to Ex-MLA and Three Others, Stays CBI Court Verdict

In a major development in the high-profile Periya twin murder case in Kerala, the Kerala High Court on Wednesday stayed the five-year imprisonment sentence handed down to former CPI(M) legislator K.V. Kunhiraman and three other accused by a CBI court five days earlier.

The verdict had been delivered after a trial involving 14 individuals, with the court convicting 10 CPI(M) workers to double-life terms and sentencing four others to five years in prison.

The Kerala High Court’s decision grants immediate relief to Kunhiraman, a former party legislator, and three other accused, who were convicted for forcibly removing the second accused from police custody.

Following the ruling, the four individuals are expected to be released from Kannur jail, where they have been held since Saturday. The court’s stay on the five-year sentence effectively pauses their punishment while legal proceedings continue.

The Controversy Surrounding the Case

The case, which has drawn significant political attention, involves the brutal murders of two Youth Congress workers, Kripesh (19) and P.K. Sarath Lal (24), on February 17, 2019, in Periya, a town in Kasaragod district.

The murders were allegedly politically motivated, with CPI(M) workers accused of carrying out the killings in retaliation against Congress party members.

Following the initial investigation by the Kerala Police and Crime Branch, the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after the victims’ families sought further investigation in the High Court.

The CBI’s probe revealed that the murders were part of a long-standing political feud between CPI(M) and Congress workers in the region.

In a ruling that has sparked political controversy, the CBI court convicted 14 individuals, with eight being sentenced to double life terms for their direct involvement in the murders. Six others were convicted for playing indirect roles. However, the court exonerated 10 others, leading to protests from the victims’ families and political figures, who voiced their concerns over the verdict.

Political Reactions and Legal Challenges

The CPI(M) leadership has strongly criticized the use of the CBI in the investigation, alleging that the central agency was being used to target political opponents of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

According to CPI(M) leaders, when the Kerala Police and Crime Branch investigated the case, Kunhiraman and the three others were not named as accused. It was only after the CBI took over the investigation that their names appeared in the charge sheet.

Following the Kerala High Court’s stay, Kunhiraman and the other three accused will be released from jail. The decision has prompted reactions from various quarters, with the father of the murdered Youth Congress worker, Sarath Lal, vowing to challenge the verdict in court.

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He expressed his dissatisfaction with the exoneration of 10 individuals and stated that they would pursue further legal recourse.

The Path Forward

The legal battle in the Periya twin murder case is far from over. While the Kerala High Court’s stay has provided temporary relief to the accused, it also has opened the door for further appeals and challenges. The victims’ families are determined to seek justice for the loss of their loved ones, and the political landscape in Kerala continues to be influenced by the outcome of this case.

The Periya twin murder case has highlighted the volatile and often violent nature of political rivalries in Kerala, where the CPI(M) and Congress are entrenched in bitter clashes. The ongoing legal proceedings are expected to keep the case in the public eye as both sides prepare for future legal battles.