Kerala to appeal acquittal of 3 RSS activists in 2017 madrasa teacher murder case

The acquittal sparked outrage, with the family, various Muslim organisations, and the Congress party condemning the government.

BySouth First Desk

Published Mar 31, 2024 | 3:40 PMUpdatedMar 31, 2024 | 3:42 PM

Kerala to appeal acquittal of 3 RSS activists in 2017 madrasa teacher murder case

The Kerala government has decided to file an appeal against the trial court’s order acquitting three RSS activists in a case relating to the murder of a madrasa teacher inside a mosque in Kasaragod in 2017.

An instruction has been given to Advocate General K Gopalakrishna Kurup to expedite the process.

On Saturday, 30 March, Kasaragod Principal Sessions Court Judge KK Balakrishnan acquitted the three individuals in connection with the murder of Mohammed Riyas Maulavi, a 34-year-old muezzin and madrasa teacher.

Riyas was found murdered in his room in the mosque on 20 March, 2017.

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Outrage

The individuals acquitted were 26-year-old Nitin, 27-year-old Ajesh, and 32-year-old Akhilesh. These individuals had spent seven years in jail without bail.

Acquitting them, Balakrishnan said that the investigation was “not up to the standard” and also “one-sided”.

The acquittal sparked outrage, with the family, various Muslim organisations, and the Congress party condemning the government.

Opposition Leader VD Satheesan said the showed the failure of police.

He added: “Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should reveal whether he had entered into a secret understanding with RSS to save the accused.”

(Edited by Arkadev Ghoshal)