Acquittal of 3 RSS workers in Riyas Moulavi murder case by Kerala Court
Kasaragod: In a significant development, the District Principal Sessions Court in Kasaragod has acquitted three RSS men accused of the murder of Mohammad Riaz Maulavi, a 27-year-old madrasa teacher from Kotak.
The incident, which occurred on March 20, 2017, saw Maulavi being hacked to death by a group that entered the old Churi mosque where he resided. The accused, identified as Ajesh, Nitin, and Akhilesh, alleged RSS activists, were arrested near the Kelugudde Ayyappanagar Bhajan Mandir.
The court proceedings in this case have been marked by several delays and changes in the scheduled verdict dates. Originally set for February 29, the verdict was rescheduled to March 7, March 20, and finally delivered today. The trial began in 2019 at the District Principal Sessions Court, but it faced multiple postponements due to judge transfers and the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven judges have presided over the case thus far.
The investigation into the murder was conducted by a special team led by Crime Branch SP Dr. A. Srinivas. The team submitted a comprehensive charge sheet to the court, including over 50 documents and the results of DNA tests. During the trial, the court examined 97 witnesses and reviewed 215 documents and 45 pieces of evidence.
Responding to the judgment, the Action Committee said that the Kasaragod district has witnessed a lack of convictions in cases related to communal violence. Out of the 11 cases where Muslims lost their lives and three cases involving non-Muslim fatalities, none of the accused have been punished. The committee highlighted that this lack of conviction is contributing to the recurrence of conflicts in the region.
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Efforts on to bring Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna back to India: Home Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday said efforts are on to bring Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexual abuse against women, back to India.
He also asserted that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case was functioning efficiently.
The 33-year-old Prajwal, who is the grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former PM H D Deve Gowda, is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women.
The scandal has raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.
Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27 and is still at large.
He was BJP-JD(S) alliance's candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to polls in the first phase on April 26.
"Procedures are on, until we secure him, bring him back here and take action in accordance with law, they will continue. We will neither slow it nor stop it," Parameshwara told reporters on questions about the Interpol's Blue Corner Notice that was issued against Prajwal.
On BJP alleging that the government was "responsible" for Prajwal's "escape" from the country, the Minister said, "They will say it, they have to say such things. They cannot say the government is doing a good job. But we have a responsibility as a government. Such incidents cannot be taken lightly. We will do our job."
Accusing the Congress government of trying to tarnish the reputation of Deve Gowda's family instead of ensuring justice to victims of alleged sex videos scandal case involving Prajwal, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy had recently alleged that every bit of information on the investigation is being sent to a Congress MLA of Mandya district, but not the Home Minister.
Reacting to this, Parameshwara said: "Kumaraswamy is also well aware, several things we cannot bring to the public domain, because the investigation is on. Who will brief the Mandya MLA? Making such allegations is easy. We all have responsibility and we are functioning with responsibility, and we are not under any compulsions."
"I want to tell him (Kumaraswamy) that SIT is working efficiently, and whatever they have to brief me or the Chief Minister, they will brief. Let there be no doubts about it," he said.
