The State government has decided to file an appeal against the Kasaragod Principal Session Court’s acquittal of three accused in the case pertaining to the murder of madrasa teacher Mohammed Riyas Maulavi inside a mosque in 2017.
Law Minister P. Rajeeve told mediapersons here on Sunday that the court’s decision to acquit the accused was unusual. “It is doubtful whether the court’s findings are sufficient to acquit the accused. The Director General of Prosecution and the Home department are taking steps to file an appeal. The police carried out a flawless investigation into the murder and nabbed all the accused in a very short time. The investigation team filed the chargesheet within 90 days and produced circumstantial and scientific evidence that in normal circumstances would have led to conviction. It is no small matter that the accused had to spend seven years in jail,” said Mr. Rajeeve.
‘Prosecution lauded’
He said the victim’s family as well as the action council members had lauded the prosecution’s efforts in the case. However, action council members who attended the trial daily had said that there were things in the judgment that even the defense did not claim. Police intervention in the case also put an end to the communal tension that used to prevail in the Kasaragod district till then, said Mr. Rajeeve. He also slammed the Opposition for blaming the government for the acquittal.
UDF stance
Soon after the verdict was pronounced on Saturday, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) was quick to allege that the acquittal was a result of the failure of the prosecution and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s tacit understanding with the Sangh Parivar. Weeks ahead of a crucial Lok Sabha election in which issues concerning minority communities are expected to be foregrounded, the UDF sought to put the LDF on the defensive over the acquittal.
Reiterating the allegations, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Sunday demanded that the Chief Minister clarify whether the accused were saved as part of an understanding with the RSS leadership. The police and the prosecution committed serious lapses in the case with the full knowledge of the government.
“It is the responsibility of the police and the prosecution to secure punishment for the accused in the brutal murder of a person who was not part of any conflict. According to the court verdict, the investigation was substandard and one-sided. Even though there were witnesses who proved that an innocent person was killed due to religious hatred and that the accused had RSS affiliation, only one out of the six witnesses were examined. A conspiracy has been hatched to protect the RSS members,” he alleged.
