In a significant ruling on Monday, the Thalassery Principal Sessions Court in Kerala sentenced eight CPI(M) workers to life imprisonment for the murder of BJP worker Elambilayi Suraj, a case that traces back nearly two decades. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on each of the convicts.
Presiding Judge K T Nisar Ahammed delivered the verdict, finding nine CPI(M) workers guilty last Friday. The sentencing comes after an extensive investigation linked to political rivalry and personal animosities that led to Suraj’s brutal murder in 2005. Among the convicted is T K Rajeesh, who is currently serving a sentence for his involvement in another high-profile murder case from 2012 involving T P Chandrasekharan.
The incident, which occurred on the morning of August 7, 2005, saw a group of individuals arriving at the Muzhappilangad telephone exchange in an autorickshaw and fatally attacking Suraj with sharp weapons. This heinous act was reportedly motivated by Suraj’s departure from CPI(M) to join BJP, underscoring a deep-seated political rivalry.
Rajeesh and P M Manoraj, both sentenced to life, were implicated in the case based on Rajeesh’s statements post his arrest in Mumbai connected to the Chandrasekharan murder case. Adding a layer of political intrigue, Manoraj is related to P M Manoj, who is the press secretary to the Kerala Chief Minister.
