Periya double murder case: Court finds 14, including former MLA KV Kunhiraman, guilty
Kochi: A special CBI court here on Saturday delivered the long-awaited verdict in the Periya double murder case. The court found 14 of the 24 accused guilty for their involvement in the 2019 killings of Youth Congress workers Sarathlal and Kripesh. Meanwhile, 10 others were acquitted.
Among the 14 convicted, eight individuals were directly involved in the crime, including former Uduma MLA and CPM Kasaragod district secretariat member K.V. Kunhiraman. Other CPM leaders, such as Raghavan Velutholy, K. Manikandan, and K.V. Bhaskaran, were also convicted. These leaders, however, have been granted bail and are required to be present on Friday, January 3, 2024, when the quantum of punishment will be announced.
The families of the deceased, Sarathlal and Kripesh, responded emotionally to the verdict, expressing relief that justice had been served despite the many challenges and delays throughout the investigation. Both families visited the memorial graves of their loved ones. Meanwhile, Kasaragod Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan announced that they would appeal the verdict, as they remain only partially satisfied with the court's decision.
The CBI named 24 individuals as accused in the case. The following individuals were convicted:
- A Peethambaran
- Saji C George
- K V Kunhiraman
- Raghavan Velutholy
- Suresh K M
- Anil Kumar K
- Gijin
- Sreerag R
- Ashwin A
- A Subeesh
- Pradeepan alias Kuttan
- K Manikandan
- A Surendran alias Vishnu Sura
- K V Bhaskaran
Background of the Case
The case revolves around the 2019 murder of Youth Congress workers Sarathlal and Kripesh from Kalliyode, Periya. Initially investigated by the local police, the case was later handed over to the Crime Branch. However, due to dissatisfaction with the progress, the victims' families petitioned for a CBI investigation. The High Court granted this request, and the case was transferred to the CBI, leading to the arrest of key accused, including K.V. Kunhiraman and K. Manikandan, former CPM leaders.
The trial, which began in February 2023, has faced various legal challenges, including attempts by the state government to block the CBI investigation. However, the Supreme Court upheld the decision to proceed with the CBI probe.