The Kerala High Court on Friday set aside the conviction and sentence of 12 accused in a case relating to the clashes which took place in January, 2002 at Marad, a fishing village in Kerala’s Kozhikode district. However, the court upheld the conviction and life imprisonment awarded to two others.
A High Court Bench set aside the conviction and sentence of 12 accused in the case pertaining to the murder of Thekkethodi Aboobacker (45) in the clashes which came to be known as Marad 1 riots. Marad had witnessed horrible violence on May 2, 2003 in which eight Hindus were killed, which came to be referred to as Marad 2.
Those whose conviction and sentence were upheld by the High Court were fourth accused Shaji of Thekkethodi and 12th accused Sasi of Eacharante Purayil, both natives of Marad. The special court considering the Marad riot cases had awarded life term to nine of the accused, five-year imprisonment to four and three-year jail term to one.
Those convicted by the special court had also been slapped with fines ranging between Rs18,000 and Rs28,000. There were a total of 15 accused in the case but the special court had acquitted one. Aboobacker was killed on January 4, 2002 as he was on his way to the funeral of two others killed in the riot.
The High Court Bench, after evaluating the evidences produced before it, came to the conclusion that the Prosecution had not been able to satisfactorily prove the charges against the 12 accused and set aside their conviction and sentence.