Overview
- Additional District and Sessions Court (IV) Judge J. Vimal in Thalassery sentenced seven men to life for the murder of CPI(M) local leader K. Latheesh.
- The court identified the convicts as including P. Sumith (Kuttan), K. K. Prajesh Babu, B. Nidhin, K. Sanal, Sajeesh and V. Jayesh.
- Four co-accused—Santhosh Kumar, B. Sarath, E. K. Saneesh and Kunnumprath Ajesh—were acquitted for lack of evidence, and accused K. Ajith died during the trial.
- Each convict was fined ₹1.40 lakh payable to Latheesh’s next of kin, with sentences ordered to run concurrently.
- Prosecutors charged murder and related offenses under the IPC and the Explosive Substances Act, and the January 2020 trial examined 30 witnesses, 90 documents and 27 material objects after the Dec. 31, 2008 attack at Chakyathmukku/Thalayi near Thalassery.