‘No trustworthy evidence,’ HC acquits 9 NDF members in 2008 CPM leader murder case
The Kerala High Court acquitted nine NDF members convicted of the 2008 murder of CPM leader Naroth Dileep due to lack of evidence.Summary
The Kerala High Court overturned the 2019 life sentences of nine National Development Front (NDF) members who had been convicted by a district court in Kannur for the murder of CPM leader Naroth Dileep in 2008. The Thalassery Additional District Court-III had previously found the nine accused guilty, but the High Court’s Division Bench, comprising Justices Jayasankaran Nambiar and Jobin Sebastian, found the prosecution’s evidence unconvincing and lacking trustworthiness. The court specifically noted “serious lapses in the investigation” and stated that guilt hadn’t been established beyond a reasonable doubt. Originally, 16 individuals were implicated, but seven were acquitted by the trial court. The NDF later became the Popular Front of India (PFI), which was subsequently banned by the Indian government.
(Source：Malayala Manorama)
