The Special Additional District and Sessions Court (Marad cases) on Monday began trial in the Kodiyathur “moral policing” case in which a mob lynched a youth in the district last year.
The case relates to assault by 15 persons on Shaheed Bava, 27, with iron rods and wooden planks after his hands and legs were tied to an electric post at 11.30 p.m. on November 9 for allegedly having an affair with a married woman at Kodiyathur. The victim died of injuries in a private hospital in the city on November 13.
Special Judge R. Narayana Pisharadi examined the first witness, K.T.C. Mammed, uncle of Shaheed, who took him to hospital. He recognised four accused in the case but was unable to identify the sixth accused.
The woman with whom Shaheed had an affair and her daughter will be examined on Tuesday. The deposition of witnesses will be held till January 24.
All the accused except one who is absconding were present in court. K.V. Joseph, who was appointed special prosecutor by the State government, was also present.
Jossy Cherian, then Assistant Commissioner of Police (Control Room), Kozhikode city, had submitted the charge sheet at the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court II, Thamarassery, against 14 persons in the case within 90 day of their arrest. It was then transferred to the Special Additional District and Sessions Court (Marad cases) at Eranhipalam.
As many as 88 people have been named as witnesses. Earlier, the statements of three key witnesses, the married woman, her daughter, and a chicken trader, had been taken under Section 164 (recording of confessions and statements) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The 14 accused are Abdurahim, alias Cheriyappu, 52; Mohammed Salim, 19; Abdul Kareem, 42; Abdul Naser, alias Auto Naser, 28; Fayas Aboobacker, 25; Najid Hyder, 19; Irshad Kuyyil, 20; Rashid Abdurahim, 19; Hijas Rahman, alias Katta, 20; Muhammed Jamsheer, alias Paala Jamsheer, 22; Shahul Hameed, 26; Jaffer, alias Bichutta, 30; E. Ayoob, 22; and K. Murshid, 26, all hailing from Kodiyathur.
All the arrested accused have been released on bail. One of the accused, Fayis Abdurahim, 24, who is absconding, fled to Saudi Arabia after the incident.
