Kozhikode: MLA KK Rema, wife of slain leader TP Chandrasekharan, has strongly criticised the ruling CPM following the CBI court's pronouncement on the quantum of punishment for the convicted individuals in the high-profile Periya Murder case.

Rema demanded, "When will CPM keep its killer sword down?" as she condemned the party's "persistent" association with criminal elements. She added, "It is not a trivial matter that CPM leaders, including a former MLA, have been sentenced. Though the five-year sentence is minimal, the fact that the court imposed a sentence is welcoming." Rema also pointed to the CPM's failure to address criminal elements within its ranks, highlighting the continued involvement of party leaders in such incidents.

Rema emphasised that the conviction sends a strong message regarding the CPM's involvement in murders. "This verdict sends a clear message to the public about the involvement of CPM leaders in such murders," she said. She also reflected on the delay in the case, noting that the Periya Murder took place in 2019, years after the convictions in the Chandrasekharan case, which had occurred in 2012 with a verdict in 2014. Despite convictions in the earlier case, Rema accused the CPM of allowing continued violence.

Accusing the CPM of attempting to thwart the CBI investigation into the Periya Murder, Rema claimed, "The CPM tried to prevent the CBI probe to defend their claim of not being involved. Around Rs 1.15 crore from state coffers was used by CPM in this effort."

Regarding the life imprisonment sentences handed down to the accused, Rema expressed concerns about the adequacy of the punishment. "It remains unclear if there will be any harsher punishment. The family has expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict, and an appeal is anticipated," she added.

TP Chandrasekharan, a former CPM leader who later founded the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP), was brutally murdered on May 4, 2012. His death occurred when he was returning home on his motorcycle near Kozhikode. The court sentenced 11 individuals to life imprisonment, including three middle-level CPM leaders.

In the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections, Rema secured a resounding victory from the Vadakara constituency, with the backing of the Congress-led UDF, despite opposition from the CPM.