Chennai: The Madras high court has confirmed the conviction of two accused in the case relating to the Kumbakonam school fire tragedy, in which 94 children died and several injured. The court, however, modified the sentence awarded by the trial court to that of the period of sentence already undergone by the accused.
Partly allowing the appeal filed by Pulavar Palanisamy, the founder of the Sri Krishna Middle School, where the fire broke out, a division bench comprising Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and V.M. Velumani modified the life sentence awarded to him. Similarly dismissing the appeal filed by R. Vasanthi, a cook, the bench modified the sentence of five years awarded by the trial court. In both the cases,“ the appeal is partly allowed and the conviction is confirmed. Sentence modified to one of period already undergone by the appellant during the investigation, trial and post conviction”, the bench added.
The bench acquitted the remaining seven accused, who was convicted and sentenced by the trial court in Thanjavur. The bench also dismissed the appeal filed by the state government against the order of the trial court, acquitting 11 other accused in the case.
The trial court had on July 30, 2014, convicted and sentenced Pulavar Palanisamy to life imprisonment while convicting and sentencing school headmistress, J. Santhalakshmi,noon-meal organiser R. Vijayalakshmi, cook R. Vasanthi, the then district elementary education officer R. Balaji, the then assistant in the DEEO’s office S. Sivaprakasam, the then superintendent in the office T. Thandevan to 5 years if rigorous imprisonment.
