Kerala: Kerala High Court suspended, in a legal drama twist, the five-year imprisonment term meted out to the four CPI (M) leaders as convicted of having committed the infamous 2019 Periya double murder case. This is undoubtedly another twist towards an already disputable case that has caused fire on political soilPeriya double murder case judgmentOn Wednesday, the Kerala High Court finally entered the arena of the Yuth Congress workers murder case. The court came up with an interim order that put aside the five-year term meted out against four CPI(M) activists held guilty of their murders. Suspense now hovers over this case also because an appeal has been filed against the judgment.The division bench of Justices P.B. Suresh Kumar and Jobin Sebastian agreed to commute the sentence given to Kunhiraman, K. Manikandan, Raghavan Velutholi, and A.V. Bhaskaran, who were convicted for helping the main culprit flee from the scene of murders after the incident. The case was appealed post the conviction of the four by the Ernakulam Special CBI Court.Political background and legal battlesIt refers to the February 17, 2019, killings of Youth Congress activists Kripesh, 19, and Sarath Lal, 24, by assailants described as CPI(M) members. Media reports said an investigation conducted by the CBI pointed to conspiracy in the killings of the two activists, creating a highly charged political atmosphere in the area. The Special CBI Court has already sentenced 10 other defendants to double life imprisonment for their involvement in the crime.CPI(M) welcomes court rulingCPI(M) State Secretary M.V. Govindan said relief in various quarters followed the judgment of the Kerala HC in the case, terming the charges framed against the party workers as politically motivated ones. Appeals would be filed for the remaining convictions, he said, indicating that continued battles in politics and in law courts are on the cards.
