Kotttayam: The principal sessions court here on Thursday held ten of the 14 accused guilty in the murder of Kevin P. Joseph in May last year. Four people, including Chacko John, father of Neenu, Kevin’s fiancee, were acquitted. The court, which said that it was a case of honour killing, will pronounce the quantum of punishment on Saturday.
The 10 guilty are Ninu’s brother Syanu Chacko, (first accused), Niyas Mon (second), Ishan Ism-ail (third), Riyas (fourth), Manu Muralidharan (sixth), Shifin Sajad (seventh), Nishad (eighth), Tittu Jerome (ninth), Fasal Shereef (11th) and Shanu (12th). Those acquitted are Chacko John (fifth accused), Vishnu Alias Appunni (tenth), Shinu(13th) and Ramees(14th).
The accused were charged under various sections of the IPC, including murder (section 302), kidnapping (section 364 A) criminal conspiracy (section 120 B), house-trespass (section 449), voluntarily causing hurt (section 321), wrongful confinement (section 342) and criminal intimidation (section 506-2).
Chacko was acquitted giving him the benefit of doubt. All the accused are in remand without getting bail. Though the sixth and 14th accused had gone out on bail after six months, it was cancelled after they attacked the witnesses in the case.
There were a total of 113 witnesses. The court examined Aneesh, Sebastian, Ninu and
Kevin’s father Joseph among others.
According to the prosecution, Kevin, 24, a resident of Nattasseri near Kottayam, was abducted by a group of 13 people led by Syanu Chacko, Ninu’s brother, on May 27 last year. The incident happened two days after Kevin and Ninu filed an application for marriage. Kevin was abducted with Aneesh, a relative, who was later released by the gang. His body was found at the Chaliakara river near Punalur on May 28.
Kevin was allegedly killed as Ninu's family opposed the marriage because he was a dalit Christian.
Kevin's father Joseph said that he would challenge the acquittal of the four accused. However, public prosecutor C.S. Ajayan said that since the evidence against the four was feeble the scope for an appeal was less.
