NIA Court sentences 4 to life for 2016 murder of Hindu Munnani leader Sasikumar
A Special Court for NIA Cases in Poonamallee, Chennai, on Friday sentenced four cadres of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) to life imprisonment for the murder of Hindu Munnani spokesperson C Sasikumar in Coimbatore in 2016.
The four convicts β Sadam Hussain, Subair, Mubarak and Mohammad Rafiqul Hassan β were each sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs 30,000.
The court also acquitted one of the five accused in the case, identified as Abu alias Syed Abuthagir. The National Investigation Agency said it was reviewing the judgment and examining legal options to challenge the acquittal before the appellate court.
According to the NIA, Sasikumar was hacked to death in Coimbatore on September 22, 2016.
The agency said the killing was carried out as part of a conspiracy and was intended to create terror and trigger communal tension in the region.
The incident was followed by violence across six districts, including Coimbatore City and Coimbatore Rural, resulting in the registration of more than 300 FIRs by Tamil Nadu Police.CASE TRANSFERRED TO NIA
The case was initially registered at Thudiyalur Police Station in Coimbatore and was subsequently investigated by the CB-CID of Tamil Nadu.
The Centre transferred the case to the NIA through an order dated January 22, 2018. The agency subsequently re-registered the case as RC-03/2018/NIA/DLI and took over the investigation.
The NIA said its investigation established that the accused were active members of PFI and had entered into a criminal conspiracy to carry out the killing.
The agency filed a chargesheet followed by two supplementary chargesheets against five accused persons.TRIAL BEGAN, 75 WITNESSES EXAMINED
The trial began in 2019. During the proceedings, the prosecution examined 75 witnesses, while two defence witnesses were also examined.
The four convicts were found guilty under Sections 302 (murder), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code. They were also convicted under Sections 16, 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The NIA described Friday's judgment as its first conviction involving PFI operatives since the organisation was banned by the Centre.
The PFI was declared an unlawful association by the Centre in September 2022 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The government had cited, among other grounds, alleged links to terror organisations and activities considered prejudicial to India's security and integrity.
The agency said it would review the court's decision regarding the acquitted accused and pursue appropriate legal remedies.
The verdict comes nearly a decade after Sasikumar's killing and concludes the trial against the five accused before the NIA Special Court, while the legal process may continue in the appellate court over the acquittal.- Ends
