Kochi, August 13: After repeated warnings and delays, all 16 accused in the 2018 Abhimanyu murder case appeared before the trial court on Thursday, paving the way for the long-stalled trial to commence.
The accused are alleged members of the Campus Front and Popular Front. They had previously failed to comply with court orders to appear on two occasions.
Following a stern warning from the court regarding non-compliance, they finally presented themselves. All 16 defendants were read their newly established charges, during which they denied the allegations and claimed their innocence.
The hearing on this matter will resume on Monday, with the trial set to begin on August 17.
This development comes just days after the Kerala High Court granted the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court a final four-month extension to complete the trial. The court has made it clear that no further extensions will be granted.
On January 24, the court had instructed the Sessions Court to conclude the proceedings within nine months.
The case revolves around the murder of 21-year-old Abhimanyu, an SFI activist and student at Maharaja College. He was fatally stabbed during a clash on campus on July 1, 2018, which also left four other SFI activists injured.
According to the prosecution, the accused, allegedly linked to the now-banned Campus Front, attacked students following a dispute over posters on campus. The police subsequently filed charges of murder, criminal conspiracy, rioting, and unlawful assembly.
The Ernakulam Central Police submitted a charge sheet in September 2018, and the case was later transferred to the Principal Sessions Court. However, the trial proceedings have been stalled for over seven years. This delay prompted Abhimanyu’s mother to approach the High Court in 2024, seeking expedited proceedings.
The High Court intervened, noting the significant time lapse without the trial commencing. The case became further controversial when crucial documents allegedly went missing from court custody. Those documents were later reconstructed, allowing the proceedings to move forward.
With the recent appearance of all accused and the planned start of the trial, the prosecution faces the challenge of completing one of Kerala’s most notorious campus murder cases within the High Court’s set deadline.
–
Leave a Comment