The Additional District Sessions Court for trying atrocities against women and children in Ernakulam on January 31 (Wednesday) sentenced the accused in the 2018 triple murder case at Mookkannur, near Angamaly, to double imprisonment and death.
Judge K. Soman also awarded the convict, Babu, 49, of Mookkannur, collective term sentences of 36 years, which, though, will run concurrently, and imposed a fine of ₹4.1 lakh. The convict shall first undergo the term sentences before the commencement of his life sentences which will also run concurrently. The death sentence, though, will not be executed unless it is confirmed by the Kerala High Court.
Babu was convicted for the murder of his elder brother Sivan, wife Valsala, and their daughter Smitha using a billhook at their house at Mookkannur on the evening of February 12, 2018. He had also attempted to murder Smitha’s son who tried to intervene and ended up with a fractured hand. The accused was nabbed the day after and had been in judicial custody since February 14, 2018.
S. Muhammed Riyaz, the then the station house officer of Angamaly, investigated the case and filed the chargesheet. The prosecution was represented by special prosecutor P.A. Bindu and advocate Sarun Mangara. The prosecution examined 61 witnesses and produced 102 documents and 43 material objects.
Last week, the court had found the accused guilty of all 14 charges, among others, under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 447 (criminal trespass), 448 (house trespass), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon or means), 506 (criminal intimidation), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or mean), 307 (attempt to murder), and 302 (murder).
While Judge Soman sentenced the convict to double imprisonment for the murder of Sivan and Valsala, death was ordered in the murder of Smitha.
“She (Smitha) sustained 35 major injuries on her body, of which 33 injuries were incised wounds. What prompted the accused to commit the murder of Smitha in an extremely brutal, grotesque, diabolic, revolting and dastardly manner is the question that arose in the minds of the community. Therefore, I feel the murder of Smitha appears to be more gruesome and ferocious in nature compared to the murder of her parents,” the judge observed.
‘Rarest of rare cases’
“The only and inevitable conclusion is that the murder of Smitha falls into the category of rarest of rare cases and thus the sentence of life imprisonment to the accused for this murder is unquestionably foreclosed,” the verdict further said.
