The Special Additional Sessions Court (Marad cases) will hear a petition on June 22 filed by T.R. Shyamala, mother of one of the slain fishermen at Marad, seeking to suspend the ongoing trial of two accused for a month till the State government issued an order on the appointment of special prosecutor P.K. Haridas in the case.
In her petition, she said that Marad Araya Samajam had already given a memorandum to the Home Minister in this regard. Mr. Haridas was the special prosecutor in the case earlier. Now it is being handled by P.D. Ravi, then his assistant, following a government order.
The fresh trial of two accused Anangadi Kuttichentepurayil Koyamon, aka Hydroskutty, 50, and Kalluvencheveettil Nizamudeen, 31, is being conducted separately as both of them were absconding when the trial was conducted earlier in connection with the original charge sheet filed against 148 accused involved in the killing of nine fishermen at Marad on May 2, 2003.
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The special judge S. Krishnakumar issued a second warrant, asking the Crime Branch to produce the three witnesses, Sugunan, Ambujakshan, and Jayendran, who failed to appear for deposition on Tuesday.
The court had served warrants under Section 90 (a) [generally applicable to summonses and warrants of arrests] of the Code of Criminal Procedure on them. The trial was to begin on Monday but these witnesses had submitted a petition in the court that they were indisposed and sought leave of absence.
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The court will examine all the 251 witnesses who had previously deposed. It had sentenced 63 out of the 148 accused on January 15, 2009. Sixty-two people were given life imprisonment.