Kochi: The Kerala government approached the Kerala High Court here on Thursday appealing against the Kasaragod District Principal Sessions Court's order acquitting all three accused in the 2017 Riyas Moulavi murder case. In the plea, the government termed the trial court's order illegal.
“ The prosecution had produced strong evidence against the accused in the case. But the court cited irrelevant reasons to acquit the three culprits,” the government argued in its plea.
On March 30, Kasaragod Principal Sessions Court Judge K K Balakrishnan acquitted Akhilesh, Nidhin, and Ajesh, all three residents of Kelugude, in the case. The accused spent seven years in jail without bail.
Mohammed Riyas Maulavi, a 34-year-old muezzin (a person who proclaims the Islamic call to prayer) and madrassa teacher from nearby Choori, was found murdered in his room in the mosque on March 20, 2017. His throat was allegedly slit by a gang which had entered the compound of Muhayuddin Juma masjid of Choori.
The court in its order said the prosecution was not able to prove that the accused had any kind of enmity with the Muslim community.
"Moreover, the prosecution side failed to establish any kind of connection of the accused with RSS," the court said.
The court noted that the phones seized from the accused and prosecution witnesses were analysed but nothing useful was found.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said his government is committed to ensuring that due punishment is given to the killers of Riyas Moulavi. All possibilities under the law would be explored to ensure punishment for the perpetrators, he said. The practice of killing people in the name of religious hatred must be stopped at any cost and the government is taking all steps in this regard, he said at a press conference in Kozhikode.
(With PTI inputs)
