An Additional Sessions Court here has found nine men guilty in the murder of a 52-year-old man in 2004. Seven other accused were let off for want of sufficient evidence.
The Additional Sessions Court-V Judge Prasoon Mohan found the following accused guilty in the murder of Ayyappan Achari on August 28, 2004; Anil Kumar alias Kadachil Ani, 45; Sunil Kumar, 41, and his brother Anil Kumar, 45; Manoj, 38, Unni, 41; Satheesh Kumar alias Govardhan, 43, Satheesh, alias Pratheesh, 41, Chandran, 42, and Santhosh, 38. All nine accused belong to Kanjippura area near Kalippankulam.
The Court will pronounce their sentence on December 18.
Aappan Achari was the brother of Rajagopal Achari, an RSS leader.
Special Public Prosecutor M. Salahudeen and advocates Akhila Lal and Devika Madhu appeared for the Prosecution. The trial in the case had begun 19 years after the murder which took place near the Mutharamman Kovil at Medamukku, Attukal, on Thiruvonam day, August 28, 2004.
A quarrel which broke out over the purchase of flowers for Onam celebrations had ended in Ayyappan Asari’s death. The victim’s son Satheesh and his friend Sanal had collected the flowers from a shop at Manacaud. The first accused Anil Kumar had questioned their action.
The 19 accused had attacked Satheesh and broke into Rajagopal Achari’s house and attacked him and his relatives. Ayyappan Achari, who was stabbed in the melee, had succumbed to his injuries.
Rajagopal Achari and his wife Saraswati, who were key witnesses in the murder case, had died some months before the trial. But the statement of their daughter, who was only 12 at the time of the incident, had proved crucial. Ayyappan Achari’s sons Satheesh and Rajesh had identified all the accused and the weapons they had used.
