Kerala High Court.
The Kerala High Court (High Court) on Friday rejected the bail plea of seven PFI members accused of murdering RSS leader Srinivasan in the state’s Palakkad district in 2022. The accused also face trial for allegedly inciting communal violence in the state and other parts of the country.
The High Court said that as per records, one of the seven accused had arranged for the motorcycle used by the attackers to locate Srinivasan and conduct reconnaissance to commit the terrorist act. The court also said that records indicate that two of the seven defendants had undergone Reiki on April 15, 2022.
Accused of insulting the prophet Muhammad
In addition to this, many documents, notices, magazines and other items seized from another accused’s house also included a controversial questionnaire related to the “hand cutting case.” The ‘hand cutting case’ is related to an incident in Idukki district in 2010, where Professor TJ Joseph’s palm was cut off after he was accused of insulting Prophet Muhammad in an internal examination question paper.
The accused is not entitled to bail
In view of this, the High Court ruled that the seven accused are not entitled to be released on bail. The decision came after the accused’s petition challenging the special NIA court’s refusal to grant him bail.
51 people were charged
Initially, 51 people were named accused in connection with the murder of Srinivasan on April 16, 2022. One of the arrested suspects died and seven others remain at large. Charge sheets were filed for the remaining accused in two phases in July and December 2022. During the murder investigation, the Center received information that officials and members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates in Kerala They were plotting to radicalize their cadres to incite communal violence and carry out terrorist acts in Kerala. .
NIA launched investigation
In September 2022, the Center directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the investigation into the case against the accused. On September 28, 2022, the Center declared the PFI a banned organization. The NIA filed its chargesheet in 2023, following which the accused filed their bail plea before the special court. In June this year, the court granted bail to 17 accused in the same case, but refused to grant relief to nine others.
assassination of rss leader
Less than 24 hours after PFI leader Subair was allegedly murdered by BJP workers in a nearby village, former RSS leader and district functionary SK Srinivasan was attacked by a six-member gang in his shop. of motorcycles in Melamuri, Palakkad.
