Ramesh Chennithala urges Kerala Guv not to grant remission to murder convict

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Home Minister and veteran Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala wrote to Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Friday, urging him not to reduce the sentence of a murder offender.

Sherin, the convict, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her father-in-law in 2009 and 20 years in prison, but early this week, the Pinarayi Vijayan government, according to the recommendation of the Jail Advisory Committee and the Law Department, requested that the Governor use his powers to grant her clemency.

Chennithala in his letter cautioned the Governor that granting remission to Sherin would set a dangerous precedent encouraging the government to make similar decisions in the future and would see the premature release of other hardcore criminals.

“This would be a travesty of justice, leading to lawlessness and anarchy in the state, moreover such a decision would severely undermine public trust in the judiciary and the legal system,” the Congress leader stated.

Chennithala also pointed out that due to the high political influence of Sherin, she has managed to get parole on numerous occasions and a mere comparison of the number of days she spent in jail and out of jail shows the convict was out of prison for the majority of the period.

What has raised eyebrows was when the news that the Vijayan government had written to Arelkar to grant remission to Sherin, it became the talking point with several people including the family of the deceased strongly opposing this act of the Vijayan government.

The convict, Sherin, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of her father-in-law in 2009. Sherin, the main accused, along with two others has been serving life imprisonment in the Karanavar murder case since 2010.

Reportedly, a top political leader and a member of the Vijayan cabinet is seen behind the fast-tracking of the application of Sherin’s commuting sentence.

Meanwhile, according to the rules for remission, the prisoner should show exemplary character as a prisoner, in special circumstances, or under certain legal provisions. However, Sherin’s behaviour in prison has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. She was also moved from one prison to the other in the state.

Moreover, there are other prisoners who have served more than 20 years, but only Sherin has been considered for parole.

Sheirn’s father-in-law, Bhaskara Karanavar, (65) had returned from the US and was staying with his son and his wife Sherin at Chengannur in the Alappuzha district.

In November 2009, he was found murdered at his residence and following a probe the police tracked down Sherin and her lover as the prime accused. Despite her pleas against the verdict, the Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s verdict and she was given life imprisonment along with her lover.

With inputs from IANS