Kerala: Daughter, lover get lifer for killing dad in Alappuzha

KOTTAYAM: A daughter, who took part in the conspiracy to murder her father, was among the three handed out life imprisonment by a court in Alappuzha district on Tuesday. The Mavelikkara additional district court judge sentenced double life term for the first two accused in the case, which included the daughter’s paramour, for murdering the man and life term for the daughter, who is the third accused in the case.
The case was in connection with the murder of Sasidhara Panicker, 54, hailing from Chunakkara in Alappuzha district on February 23, 2013. Riyaz, 37, Krishnapuram native, Ratheesh, 38, Nooranadu native and Sreejamol, 36, were sentenced for life term. The first and second accused in the case, Riyaz and Ratheesh were sentenced for double life for murder (IPC 302) and conspiracy (120B) while Sreejamol was sentenced for life term for taking part in the conspiracy (120B) to murder her father.
Riyaz and Ratheesh were charged for conspiracy as well, while Riyaz was also charged with IPC 201 for destroying evidence. Riyaz and Ratheesh will have to serve the double life term concurrently. All the three accused were also fined a total of Rs 4lakh which will be given to the wife of the victim.
The incident that led to the case took place on February 23, 2013. Both Sreejamol and Riyas were in an affair. However, Riyaz had to leave for the Gulf after he got a job. Sreejamol later married a Thiruvananthapuram native.
However, he got separated from Sreejamol as even after marriage she continued the affair with Riyaz. Sreejamol’s father was a hindrance for the couple to enter into marriage and they decided to murder him. Riyaz was helped by friend Ratheesh who worked with him in the Gulf. The two forced Panicker to drink alcohol mixed with poison after taking him to a remote place near a pond. He was also hit with a blunt object to ensure that he was dead. The body was found by the local residents from the pond on February 26. Initially, the family members of the deceased were not cooperating with the police. However, the autopsy findings had turned crucial in the case. The mobile call details of the accused was also a major evidence.
Additional public prosecutor S Solomon appeared for the prosecution.