On October 4, 2024, the Kerala High Court overturned a previous decision made by the trial court regarding the Shibin Murder case. The trial court cleared out the names of eight guilty Indian Union Muslim League (IMUL) cadres, in connection with the 2015 killing of a DYFI activist, C.K. Shibin in Kozhikode district.
Essentially, the Kerala High Court found seven individuals guilty in the murder case.
What Happened in the 2015 Shibin Murder Case?
Shibin was assassinated by an armed gang on January 22, 2015, in Vellur near Thuneri. The murder however is perceived as a politically motivated murder. The prosecution argued that political and social rivalry was the cause of the murder.
Congress workers who tried to intervene and stop the attackers were also hurt in the assault. The murder sent shockwaves through Nadapuram (a town of Kozhikode) and the surrounding areas. The murder also resulted in the damage of nearly fifty Muslim homes, allegedly by the CPM members.
With the involvement of state-level leaders from both the CPM and the IUML, peace was established in Nadapuram. After visiting the area, a team led by the then-chief minister Oommen Chandy established a committee, to oversee relief efforts, chaired by Dr. M.K. Muneer, the then Minister of Social Justice.
The chargesheet was filed on April 21, 2015, and the primary suspect of the case, Theyyambadi Ismail was held on February 3, 2015.
Peace was restored in Nadapuram following the intervention of state-level leaders from both the CPM and the IUML. After visiting the area, a team led by the then-chief minister Oommen Chandy formed a committee to supervise relief efforts, with Dr. M.K. Muneer, the then-minister of social justice, serving as its chair.
What is HC’s Recent Judgement?
Eight people— Ismail, Muneer, Aslam, Siddique, Muhammad Anees, Shuhaib, Jasim, and Abdul Samad were guilty. All of whom were connected with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), according to the division bench. The court gave the verdict that these people had a direct hand in Shibin’s killing. Since Aslam was murdered in 2016, his name was struck from the list of suspects by the HC.
According to the previous ruling by the Kozhikode sessions court, the prosecution failed to establish charges against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. The court also pointed out that the FIR (First Information Report) was intentionally withheld following conversations with party leaders.
Advocate SU Nazar, representing the state police, stated, “The high court has found that the trial court made lapses in examining the evidence. It has underlined that the trial court judgment talked about political issues and failed to assess the key evidence in the case.”
The justice bench, comprising P.B. Suresh Kumar and C. Pratheep Kumar, has scheduled a hearing on October 15. The HC has demanded police to arrest all the accused. The hearing is on the sentencing of the guilty.
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Naina Jaggi is an author deeply rooted in Journalism, mainly writing on lifestyle, entertainment, travel, politics and financial markets. This diverse experience has allowed her to blend rich details with engaging narratives that capture the essence of various worlds. When she is not crafting tales, you’ll find her immersed in music and enjoying the company of dogs. She is also into K-dramas, thriller and horror movies that fuel her imagination, bringing the same spark to her stories.
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