In a recent development, the Kerala High Court has granted bail to ten members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) who were accused in the 2022 murder of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Srinivasan in Palakkad district. The decision was made by a bench comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and P V Balakrishnan.
The accused, namely Shefeek, Jafar B, Nassar, Jamsheer H, Abdul Basith, Muhammed Shefeek K, Ashraf K, Jishad B, Ashraf Moulavi, and Sirajudheen, had appealed to the High Court following a denial of bail by an NIA special court. Details of the High Court’s bail order are yet to be made available.
This case traces back to the tragic incident on April 16, 2022, when Srinivasan, a former district leader and an office-bearer of the RSS, was fatally attacked by a group at his motorcycle shop in Melamuri, Palakkad. The attack occurred less than a day after Subair, a leader from PFI, was allegedly killed by BJP workers nearby, hinting at a retaliatory motive.
Initially, the case saw 51 individuals being named as accused. However, complications arose as one of the accused passed away and seven others remain absconding. Chargesheets were filed against the rest in two phases during July and December of 2022.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was directed by the Centre in December 2022 to take over the investigation, highlighting the case’s gravity and the intricate political tensions surrounding it.
