RSS Leader Ashwini Kumar Murder Case: 13 Of 14 Accused Acquitted

The case involved 14 NDF workers as accused out of which only one, MV Marshook, was found guilty and will be sentenced on November 14.

Kannur: The Thalassery Additional District Sessions Court has acquitted 13 of the 14 accused in the murder case of RSS Leader Ashwini Kumar (27), a resident of Keezhur, Iritty, in Kannur District. The case involved 14 NDF workers as accused out of which only the third accused, MV Marshook, was found guilty and will be sentenced on November 14. The verdict was delivered by Judge Philip Thomas.

The tragic incident took place on March 10, 2005, around 10 am, Kumar, who was travelling in a bus from Kannur to Peravoor, was killed. The accused, who arrived in a jeep, blocked the bus midway and attacked Kumar, who taught at Iritty Prakriti College.

The prosecution said it would appeal the acquittal of the 13 NDF workers, citing failures in the investigation, with plans to approach the Supreme Court. A total of 42 witnesses, 57 documents and 85 pieces of evidence were presented. The first and second accused appeared in court six years after the incident.

According to the prosecution, the first to fourth accused committed violence inside the bus, while the fifth to ninth accused chased the bus with a jeep, hurled bombs on the road and threatened people with weapons. The accused in the jeep allegedly helped the first to fourth to escape. The case also claims that the 10th to 12th accused conspired, while the 13th and 14th accused procured explosives for making the bomb.

Police reported 120 incidents of violence in the Iritty police division following the murder, and the FIR was submitted in court during the trial. Special public prosecutor Joseph Thomas and advocate P Premarajan represented the prosecution, while advocates P C Naushad and Ranjith Marar represented the defence.