Kochi: Lawyer B. A. Aloor, who represent Govindachamy in the Soumya murder case, would also appear for Ameerul Islam, the accused in Perumbavur rape and murder case. The Ernakulam principal sessions court on Monday gave the permission while hearing a petition Islam filed that he be permitted to have the criminal lawyer to defend him saying he had no faith in lawyers appointed by the state government.
Government pleader P. Rajan, who was appointed earlier by the court to represent the Assamese, argued it was not right to permit the outsider to appear in the case as the court had already appointed a lawyer for the accused. However, it allowed Islam’s plea citing the “rightness” on the issue is a matter to be decided by the Bar Council and that the court won’t interfere with it. Mr Aloor had garnered media attention when he appeared for Govindachamy at the Supreme Court recently. The apex court had then quashed the death sentence awarded by the Kerala High Court.
Earlier, there were public protests against him when he decided to defend Govindachamy. It was Mr Aloor himself who had volunteered to represent Islam. “He told me during a court appearance that he had submitted a plea seeking permission to represent me in the case but the court didn’t permit the same,” said Islam in his petition compiled from the Kakkanad Jail with the help of a fellow prisoner. “I have no faith in lawyers of the state, and since he already informed the court about his willingness, I request the court to permit him to appear on my behalf.” The case is slated to come up before the special court on November 2.
