A court in Kollam, Kerala on Thursday found Biju Radhakrishnan, also prime accused in the infamous solar scam that had been haunting the Congress-led State Government since June last, guilty of murdering his wife Rasmi eight years ago.
The District and Session Court in Kollam also convicted Biju’s mother Rajammal in the case under Section 498 (cruelty to women) of the Indian Penal Code. Judge Ashok Menon will announce the quantum of punishment for the convicts on Saturday.
The Prosecution case was that Biju had murdered Rasmi on February 4, 2006 by strangulating her after forcing her to consume alcohol. Rasmi’s death was found to be a case of murder in 2012. Biju and Rajammal were convicted mainly on the basis of the statements of the son of Biju and Rasmi, who was witness to the murder.
Biju was also accused of trying to harm his son. The Prosecution had alleged that Biju had killed Rasmi to remove the hindrance to making Saritha S Nair, another key accused in the solar scam, his wife and as he understood that Rasmi did not possess the kind of property he earlier thought she had.
During the three-month trial, the Prosecution had examined 43 witnesses including Saritha Nair, also Biju’s former live-in partner, and his girlfriend and dancer-actress Shalu Menon and the counsel for the accused had examined three witnesses. At the same, the court dismissed a petition seeking naming of Saritha Nair as an accused in the Rasmi murder case.