NIA court sentences 4 naxals to rigorous imprisonment for assaulting Kerala Police officer

The NIA court in Kerala's Ernakulam sentenced the accused today. Earlier, the four naxals were convicted on April 9.

New Delhi: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Friday sentenced four naxals to rigorous imprisonment in connection with a 2014 case relating to assault, threat and arson against a senior Kerala Police officer.

The NIA court in Kerala’s Ernakulam sentenced the accused today. Earlier, the four naxals were convicted on April 9.

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Accused Roopesh has been sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment along with Rs 2.35 lakh fine, while accused Kanyakumari has been sent to six years of rigorous imprisonment with Rs 1.05 lakhs fine. Both of them were convicted under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Accused Anoop, who was convicted only under UA(P) Act will undergo eight years of rigorous imprisonment with fine of Rs 60,000, and accused Ibrahim has also been punished for offences under UA(P) Act to six years rigorous imprisonment besides fine of Rs 40,000. The case was originally registered by Vellamunda police in Kerala and re-registered by the NIA on January 2, 2016.

Eight accused were identified, of whom one, Ajitha alias Anu, was subsequently killed in an exchange of fire, while two others, Mahesh alias Jayanna and Sundari, are absconding. A reward of Rs 10 lakh has been declared against each of the absconders. The incident had occurred on April 24, 2014, at about 10.30 pm, when, in pursuance of the conspiracy hatched by eight persons, including five naxal activists, had formed an unlawful assembly with deadly weapons, including AK-47 rifle.

They had trespassed into the house of AB Pramod, Senior Civil Police Officer of Kerala Police. They trained guns at him, threatened to kill him if he helped police in anti-Maoist operations and asked him to resign from his job. They committed mischief by setting his motorcycle on fire and also pasted pamphlets of proscribed terrorist organisation in his house, calling for armed revolution against the Government of India. The first chargesheet was filed against three accused, including Roopesh, who had led the assailants. They were charged under various sections of the IPC and UA(P) Act, besides the Arms Act. On January 30, 2018, a supplementary chargesheet was filed against the trio, in addition to other co accused, under relevant sections of the IPC and UA(P) Act.