In a significant verdict, the Additional Sessions Court in Mavelikkara on Tuesday acquitted all 19 accused individuals in the high-profile 2012 murder case of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activist Vishal Kumar. The court found the evidence presented by the prosecution to be insufficient to secure a conviction.
Court Cites Lack of Evidence for Acquittal
Additional Sessions Judge PP Pooja delivered the verdict, clearing the accused of all major charges. These included murder, being part of an unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapons, rioting, and wrongful confinement. The judge ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
All the acquitted individuals are identified as activists of the Campus Front, the student wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI). It is notable that the PFI itself was banned by the central government much later, in September 2022. The case of a seventh accused, who was a minor at the time of the incident, is being handled separately by the Alappuzha Juvenile Court.
Recounting the 2012 Fatal Attack
The tragic incident dates back to July 16, 2012. Vishal Kumar, a 19-year-old first-year degree student at NSS College in Konni and a native of Chengannur, was stabbed in front of Christian College in Chengannur. He was initially rushed to the government hospital in Chengannur and later referred to Kottayam Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.
Kumar succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of July 17, 2012. Two other ABVP members, Vishnuprasad and Sreejith, who were with Kumar at the time, were also injured in the violent attack.
The court ordered the release of the following 19 individuals: Nassim (35) of Pandalam; Ashiq (32) of Cheriyanadu, Alappuzha; Shafeeq (34) of Adoor; Ansar Faisal (34) of Kurambala, Adoor; Shafeeq (35) of Kurambala, Adoor; Asif Muhammad (32) of Pandalam; Nasim (34) of Chengannur; Sanuj (32) of Karthikappally; Althaj (35) of Chengannur; Shameer Rawther (38) of Chengannur; Safeer (32) of Chengannur; Afsal (32) of Chengannur; Abdul Wahab (55) of Kollam; Shibin Habeeb (36) of Pathanapuram; Shahjahan Maulavi (55) of Kollam; Nawaz Sherif (32) of Pandalam; Shameer (32) of Pathanapuram; Sajeev (34) of Adoor and Saleem (41) of Kayamkulam.
Prosecution's Case and Reaction to the Verdict
The legal proceedings were extensive. The case was first probed by the local police before being taken over by the Crime Branch (CB). The CB filed a chargesheet against 20 people, including one minor. During the trial, the prosecution presented a total of 55 witnesses and 205 documents. The investigation was led by three Deputy Superintendents of Police from the local police and the CB.
Following a petition by the ABVP, the Centre appointed Prathap G Padickal as a special prosecutor for the case. A key part of the prosecution's argument was the statement made by the deceased youth to a friend, alleging that PFI activists were responsible for stabbing him. The accused were represented by advocates G Priyadarshan Thampi and Navin M Easow.
Prosecution lawyers Sreedevi Prathap and Harish Kattoor expressed deep disappointment with the verdict. They stated that the prosecution would study the detailed court order and subsequently file an appeal in the Kerala High Court. Special prosecutor Padickal was not present in the Mavelikkara court during the verdict announcement as he was engaged in another trial in Kannur.
