Kochi: In a blow to former IGP K Lakshmana,
Kerala High court Tuesday upheld the life sentence awarded to him by a CBI court here for the "brutal killing" of Naxal
leader A Varghese in police action in Waynad forests 40 years
ago.
Dismissing an appeal by Lakshamana, a division bench
comprising Justice Thothathil B Radhakrishnan and Justice S
Sateesh Chandran said they were not inclined to interfere with
the last year judgement of the CBI court.
They accepted the evidence of first accused in the case,
late Ramachandran Nair, a former CRPF constable who "confessed"
he had shot Varghese on directions from his superior officers.
The bench also dismissed a revision petition by A Thomas,
brother of Varghese, to enhance the punishment awarded to
Lakshmana and challenging acquittal of former DGP P Vijayan.
CBI Special court here had on October 28, 2010 sentenced
Lakshamana to life imprisonment and asked him to pay a fine of
Rs 10,000. Vijayan was acquitted giving him the benefit of
doubt.
The court had found that Varghese was 'brutally' killed by
police on Feb 18, 1970 in Thirunelli jungles in Wyanad.
The case was reviewed in 1998 when Ramachandran Nair
confessed to the killing that he had shot the naxal leader on
the command of Lakshmana, the then Dy SP, and Vijayan, then SP.
Nair, who passed away in 2006, had said he was making the
confession to clear his conscience.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, June 14, 2011, 15:06