SC refuses to give relief to CPI-M workers for severing legs of BJP MP

EIGHT accused CPI-M workers suffered a blow on Monday when the Supreme Court rejected to accept their petition against the decision of the Kerala High Court upholding the Sessions Court decision, which sentenced them to seven years in jail, for severing the legs of new BJP Rajya Sabha member from Kerala, C. Sadanandan, in 1994.

Incidentally, it was on January 25, 1994, Sadanandan, while serving as the RSS Kannur district sahakaryavahak, was attacked by CPI-M cadres near his home and both his legs were severed.

What has raised eyebrows was the presence of CPI-M legislator and former Health Minister K. K. Shailaja, who led the party workers at the Mattannur Pazhassi South CPI-M party committee office, to give the eight accused -- currently out on bail a send-off to make them available before the Thalassery Court.

Soon after the news came that the Supreme Court did not even accept their petition in the file, the state CPI-M office was filled with hundreds of party supporters and leading them was former Minister Shailaja and bid the eight accused a farewell.

The Thalassery Court will now send all eight accused to the Kannur jail to serve the remainder of the seven-year imprisonment that was handed out to them by the trial court in the late nineties.

Following their conviction, they approached the Sessions Court, which upheld the trial court's decision.

Later, they approached the Kerala High Court in January this year, but that was also turned down and finally, on Monday, the apex court failed to even accept their petition.

Reacting to the court judgment, Sadananadan recalled what the High Court observed while upholding the Sessions Court judgment said that the High Court, in January, in its final judgment, pointed out that politics should be fought on ideology and not on the streets.

"For long we the Sangh forces have harped on it and it was accepted by the Courts. The High Court then ruled that under no circumstances should a relief in the punishment be allowed, as it will send a wrong impression to society," Sadanandan said, who was in the Upper House when the news came.

"The High Court also asked them why is that the state government has not gone for the victim," Sadanandan added.

He then criticised former Minister Shailaja, who is his MLA (Mattannur), also, for leading the party workers, who were shouting slogans to cheer the eight accused CPI-M workers.

"As an MLA, she (former Minister Shailaja) should not have gone to lead the CPI-M workers, as it sends a wrong message to society. In criminal cases, when the accused gets this sort of applause, it gives a boost to the criminals," Sadanandan added.

A retired high school teacher from Kannur and currently the Kerala BJP Vice-President, C. Sadanandan, stands as a symbol of resilience and unwavering commitment to public life.

His political journey is etched with pain and perseverance and it was for that last month he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha.