A controversy erupted over the Central Prison and Correction Home in Kannur listing the names of convicts TK Rajeesh, Muhammad Shafi and Sijith to be released under special remission as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. These prisoners were convicted in the sensational political murder of Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) founder TP Chandrasekharan who was expelled from the Communist Party of India (Marxist). These convicts were awarded 20 years imprisonment without remission by the Kerala High Court earlier this year.
The decision of the Kannur Central Prison led to strong backlash against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. KK Rema, wife of the slain leader, accused the LDF government of ‘always standing with the accused.’
Rama is the legislator of Vadakara Assembly constituency. “It is a very serious matter that deserves an extreme objection. The honourable High Court has clearly stated that no remissions shall be allowed. Now the Jail Superintendent has taken a decision that bypassed the court order. The jail Superintendent cannot make the decision without the knowledge of the Home Minister of Kerala (Chief Minister Pinarayi holds the Home Ministry portfolio). Through this move the government has reminded us that they are with the accused. I decided to move forward strongly,” Rema told news channel MediaOne.
On June 13, Kannur Central Prison Superintendent wrote a letter to the Kannur City police commissioner requesting a police report of the 56 prisoners who were set to be released under special remission. The convicts in the TP Chandrasekharan murder – TK Rajeesh (Accused number 4), Muhammad Shafi (Accused number 5) and Sijith (Accused number 6) – were also included in the list.
Who was TP Chandrasekharan
TP Chandrasekharan was a former Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader. Following differences with the party leaders, he was expelled from the CPI (M) in 2008. Subsequently he formed the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP). On May 4, 2012, he was hacked to death by a group of assailants who were associated with the CPI (M).
In 2014, the Eranhipalam Special Additional Sessions court convicted 12 persons including three local leaders of CPI(M) –K C Ramachandran, Manojan, and P K Kunjanandan – for the murder. On February 28 this year, the Kerala High Court confirmed the sentence of all 12 men convicted for the murder. The 12 convicts are Anoop, Manoj Kumar, NK Sunil Kumar (Kodi Suni), Rajeesh, KK Muhammed Shafi, Sijith, K Shinoj, KC Ramachandran, Manojan, K Krishnan, Jyothi Babu and Kunjanandan. Kunjanandan died in 2020.
While ordering the sentence, the court ordered that nine of these convicts would have to undergo at least 20 years of imprisonment before they could apply for a remission of their sentence.
The nine convicts are: Anoop, Manoj Kumar, NK Sunil Kumar (Kodi Suni), TK Rajesh, KK Muhammed Shafi, Sijith, K Shinoj, KC Ramachandran and Manojan. K Krishnan and Jyothi Babu were given life sentence.
Following furore over the issue, Kannur Central Prison Superintendent Balram Kumar Upadhyay stated that the convicts of the TP Chandrasekharan murder case would not be released under the special remission.
Speaking to Manorama News, he stated that jail officials across the nation were instructed to prepare a list as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative. “Many prisoners who are in jail for more than 10 years were automatically included in the list,” he said.