After the LDF government’s decision to grant special remission to the convicts in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case sparked a political controversy, the Kannur Central jail Superintendent provided an explanation to the jail ADGP.

In his explanation to the jail ADGP, the Jail Superintendent reportedly stated that a police report on remitting the sentences of the TP Chandrasekharan murder case convicts was sought in accordance with the rules issued by the Home Department. A list of 188 prisoners was prepared for sentence remission. According to the criteria issued by the state government in November 2022, the TP Chandrasekharan murder case convicts were also included in the list, the Jail Superintendent said in his explanation.

In this connection, the Jail ADGP clarified that no relaxation will be given to the convicts in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case.

The Kerala government’s move to grant special remission to the convicts in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case has drawn strong criticism from the opposition.

Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan on Saturday said that the LDF government’s move to release the convicts in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case is a challenge to the people of Kerala and that the Congress and the UDF will strongly oppose it.

Speaking to media persons in Kochi, Satheesan said this move of the LDF government shows that the CPI-M and the LDF have learnt nothing from their debacle in the Lok Sabha polls.

“Despite setbacks in elections, the CPI-M continues to make mistakes without learning or correcting them. The opposition, along with the people of Kerala, will resist any attempt to release the TP Chandrasekharan murder case accused,” Satheesan said.

What right do the jail authorities have to recommend commutation to the convicts, who have been sentenced by the High Court to a fixed life term of 20 years without remission? Satheesan asked. He said the move would be dealt with politically and legally.

K K Rema, the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) MLA and widow of TP Chandrasekharan, has condemned the government’s move to release the accused in the TP murder case, which circumvents the High Court’s ruling.

KK Rama said the government’s move to release the convicts in the TP murder case bypassing the High Court order would be dealt with legally and politically.

Former Home Minister and senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has said that the government’s decision to release the accused in the TP murder case is against the jail manual.

“No leniency is possible for those who have committed heinous crimes,” he said. “How can the government flout the High Court order to grant remission to the TP murder convicts,” Thiruvanchoor asked.

A letter sent by the Kannur Central Jail Superintendent, requesting a police report on remitting the sentences of TK Rajeesh, Muhammad Shafi, and Anna Sijith, convicts in the TP murder case, had leaked into the public domain. These three convicts were among those sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment by the Kerala High Court, which restricted their right to remission.

The Kerala High Court in February sentenced all 12 accused in the TP Chandrashkeharan murder case. Of these, nine convicts, including Rajeesh, Muhammed Shafi and Annan Sijith, were awarded life sentences without remission for 20 years.

It is learnt that the names of TP Chandrasekharan murder convicts were included in a list for special remission as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

TP Chandrasekharan, 52, a former leader of the CPI-M, was brutally murdered by a gang near Onchiyam on the night of May 4, 2012, as he was riding home on his motorcycle. His body bore 51 hack wounds, and his face was entirely disfigured by the attackers.