Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 31 Former Home Minister and veteran Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Friday wrote to Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar asking him not to commute the sentence of a murder convict.
The convict, Sherin, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of her father-in-law in 2009 and was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, but early this week, the Pinarayi Vijayan government based on the recommendation of the Jail Advisory Committee and the Law Department asked the Governor to use his powers to grant her remission.
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 is when the news that the Vijayan government has 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 have 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 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.
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