Kannur: A district additional sessions court here on Friday acquitted nine BJP-RSS workers accused in the 2015 murder of CPI(M) activist O Preman, citing serious lapses in the police investigation.
Background of the case
Preman, aged 45, was attacked on 25 February 2015 at Chittariparamba in Kannur and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital the following day. The case, registered under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), initially named six individuals in the FIR who were later dropped, with new accused added subsequently.
Those acquitted on Friday are Sajesh C, Prajesh D, Inchikandi Nishanth, Lijin P, Manpaddy Vineesh, C Rajeesh, Nikhil N, R Ramesh and Renjith C V.
The second accused, Shyam Prasad, was killed in another political clash in 2018.
Court’s reasoning
Advocate P Premarajan, appearing for the accused, said the court found glaring procedural flaws, including the delay in registering the FIR and changes in the list of accused. The defence also argued successfully that the accused were not present at the crime scene at the time of the attack.
“The FIR was registered only the next day. Six people initially named in the FIR were later dropped, and the current accused were arraigned instead,” Premarajan said, adding that the trial established the absence of the accused from the spot.
Trial proceedings
The trial, which began in March 2024, saw the examination of 65 witnesses and the submission of 135 documents. Defence lawyers P S Easwaran, D Sunilkumar and Akshay Baburaj also represented the accused during the proceedings.
The accused, who had been granted bail six months after their arrests, were acquitted after nearly a decade-long legal battle.
Conclusion
The acquittal is the latest development in Kannur’s history of politically motivated clashes between the CPI(M) and BJP-RSS cadres. The verdict underscores the importance of strong investigation standards in politically sensitive cases, where procedural lapses can decisively alter judicial outcomes.