A CBI Special Court in Kerala’s Kochi has delivered its verdict in the Periya twin murder case, which had been under trial for six years. Of the accused, 14 have been convicted, while 10 have been acquitted. The murder charges were proved in the court, with the sentence yet to be announced.
The case pertains to the brutal murder of two Youth Congress workers Kripesh (19), and Sarath Lal PK (24), on February 17, 2019, by members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) at Periya in the Kasaragod district of Kerala.
A total of 24 persons faced trial, including prominent CPI(M) leaders such as former MLA and CPM district leader KV Kunhiraman, Kanhangad block panchayat president K Manikandan, former Periya local committee member A Peethambaran, former Periya local secretary N Balakrishnan, former Pakkam local secretary Raghavan Velutholi, CITU leader A Subheesh and CPI(M) Echiladukkam branch Secretary Rajesh.
Peethambaran, K Manikandan, A Surendran, KV Bhaskaran, Raghavan Velutholi, Saji C George, KM Suresh, K Anil Kumar, Gijin, R Sreerag, A Ashwin, Subheesh, A Murali and T Renjith were convicted. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry had concluded that the murders were politically motivated, resulting from a series of attacks and counterattacks between workers of the CPI (M) and Congress in the region.
According to the enquiry on January 5, 2019, Sarath Lal and others assaulted first accused Peethambaran and co-accused Surendran, alias Vishnu Sura, following a clash at Kalliot between SFI and Youth Congress. On February 17, 2019, Kripesh and Sarath Lal were attacked on the Kalliot-Thannithode road while returning home from a Perumkaliyattam temple festival organized by them. Before succumbing to his injuries, Sarath Lal named Giridh Lal, who allegedly had a personal grudge against him, as one of the assailants.
On February 19, 2019, A Peethambaran was arrested as the main accused. Two days later, the Kerala Police Crime Branch took over the investigation. On May 20, 2019, the Crime Branch submitted its chargesheet, naming 14 accused, all linked to the CPI(M). On September 30, 2019, the Kerala High Court quashed the Crime Branch chargesheet and handed over the probe to the CBI. On October 26, 2019, the Kerala government moved a division bench of the High Court against the CBI probe. On August 25, 2020, the division bench upheld the single bench’s order transferring the probe to the CBI. On September 12, 2020, the Kerala government challenged the High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court. On December 1, 2020, the Supreme Court dismissed the state government’s petition, allowing the CBI to take over the case. On December 14, 2020, the CBI formally assumed charge of the investigation. On December 1, 2021, the CBI arrested five persons in connection with the case. On February 2, 2023, the trial commenced in the CBI Special Court in Kochi.