Thiruvananthapuram: The additional sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday sentenced two people to life imprisonment for the murder of former radio jockey Rajesh. The court slapped a fine of Rs 3 lakh on them.
The court had found the second accused Muhammed Salih and the third accused Appunni guilty in the murder of 34-year-old Rajesh.
The court exonerated accused no. 4 to 12. The first accused, Abdul Sathar, remains untraced. It was Sathar, NRI businessman who belongs to Ochira, who allegedly 'gave a contract' to kill Rajesh after he suspected that the radio jockey was having an affair with his wife.
Rajesh, son of Radhakrishna Kurup and Vasantha Kumari of Asha Nivas, Padinjattela, Madavoor in Thiruvananthapuram district, was killed at 2.30 am on March 27, 2018, in his recording studio at Madavoor Junction.
His friend Kuttan (50) of Vellalloor was hacked on the shoulder and arm during the incident.
Rajesh had worked as a radio jockey (RJ) for around 10 years in a private channel in India before he landed a job in Qatar. After working for 10 months in Qatar, Rajesh returned to Madavoor in May 2017 and launched his recording studio. He also joined a folksong group. At the time of his murder, Rajesh's wife Rohini was eight months pregnant.
Meanwhile, the court also did not file a case against Kuttan, Rajesh’s friend and main witness who turned hostile during the trial. The court accepted Kuttan’s first statement. At the same time, the court registered a case against prosecution witness Manoj, who had arranged the vehicles for the accused to carry out the crime.
Those let off by the court are K Tansir of Karunagappally, Sanu Santhosh of Kureepuzha, A Yaseen of Ochira, S Swathy Santhosh alias Sphadikam of Kundara, J Aby John of Mulamana, Kundara, Sumith of Madichuvadu, who is married to the sister of third accused Appunni, Sumith’s wife Bhagyasree, Sybella Bonnie of Vennala, Ernakulam, who is Appunni’s lover and Shijina Shihab of Varkala, who is the paramour of first accused Sathar.
The accused were charged with IPC Sections 201 (destruction of evidence), 449 (criminal trespassing), 326 (grievous hurt) and 302 (murder).
