A court in Kerala’s Kasaragod Saturday acquitted three Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers in the 2017 murder case of a Muslim man– a madrassa teacher who was murdered inside a mosque in the district seven years ago.

Three RSS activists– Akhilesh, Nidhin, and Ajesh–all residents of Kelugude, were acquitted in the case by Kasaragod Principal Sessions Court Judge K K Balakrishna after spending nearly seven years in jail without bail.

‘Accused’ connection with RSS not proven’

In its order, the court said the prosecution was not able to prove that the three accused had any kind of enmity with the Muslim community and it was also not proven that the accused had any connection with the RSS.

The court also noted that the phones seized from the accused and prosecution witnesses were analysed but nothing useful was found.

“The failure of the investigating officers to investigate with respect to the contents and data of above said phone materials casts serious doubt on the manner in which the investigation was started, conducted and concluded,” the court said.

It said the prosecution spoiled “one of the best opportunities” to know “with whom the deceased had interacted.”

“The silence in this matter itself is sufficient to uproot the prosecution allegations. Therefore, it can be safely concluded that the investigation is not up to the standard and one sided. So, the accused are entitled benefit of doubt,” the court said.

It said the offences committed by them were not proved beyond reasonable doubt. “Therefore the prosecution failed to prove that the victim was murdered by the accused beyond.”

Hence the offence u/s 449, 302, 153A, 295, 201 r/w 34 of IPC charged against the accused have not been sufficiently proven beyond reasonable doubt and therefore they are not guilty for these offences, the court said in its order.

Prosecution to appeal against verdict

Meanwhile, the prosecution expressed disappointment over the verdict and said they would appeal against the order.

“There was strong evidence in the case. Maulavi’s blood was found on the clothes of one of the accused. A piece of fabric belonging to Maulavi was found on the knife used by the accused. We had submitted all the evidence,” the prosecutor in the case told news agency PTI.

The court examined 97 witnesses, 215 documents and 45 material evidence in the case in which the charge sheet was filed within 90 days.

The victim’s wife, who was present in the court, broke down before the media and said the order was “disappointing.”

The victim’s family members said they never expected this judgment in the matter.

“In this case, the courts did not even grant bail to the accused for the past seven years. The accused were not connected with Maulavi in any manner. Even the police charge sheet clearly mentions that the crime was an attempt to create communal unrest in the region,” one of the relatives told reporters.

The charge sheet and the remand report said that the accused were trying to foment communal unrest in the region.

Mohammed Riyas Maulavi murder

Mohammed Riyas Maulavi, a 34-year-old muezzin (a person who proclaims the Islamic call to prayer) and madrassa teacher from nearby Choori, was found murdered in his room in the mosque on March 20, 2017.

Maulavi’s throat was allegedly slit by a gang which had entered the compound of Muhayuddin Juma masjid of Choori.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the LatestLaws staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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