The Hindu : Three youths held on extortion charges

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 12, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Three youths held on extortion charges

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Nov. 11.

The Fort police have arrested three youth on charges of assaulting a trader at Chala and causing damage to his shop. The accused were identified as Girish Kumar alias Karthik (24) of Malayankeezhu, Manikantan (24) of Balaramapuram and Binu (23) of Karamana.

The incident, which caused panic in Chalai market, occurred at around 11-30 a.m. on Tuesday. According to the police, the accused demanded Rs. 500 from the owner of Pushpa Sweet Stall at Aryasala. When he refused to pay up, the youth allegedly beat up the shopowner and caused extensive damage to the stall.

After the incident was reported, the police launched an extensive combing operation involving the checking of autorickshaws, lodges and bar hotels. The SI (Fort), Najmul Hassan, said the youth were arrested at 2-30 p.m. from the house of one Jayan alias `Auto' Jayan in Pappanamcode.

Mr. Hassan said that Girish Kumar was wanted in several cases in the city, including assault and robbery. Police had initiated security proceeding against him under section 107 of the Cr.PC earlier. He had come out on bail from the Sub Jail on Monday. The SI said the other accused in the case figure as accused in several other cases in the city.

Anti-liquor activists charged

The Kanjiramkulam police have registered a case against 20 prohibition activists owing allegiance to the Church backed Madya Virudha Samathi on charges of illegally detaining and outraging the modesty of a 67-year-old woman suspected of retailing Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL).

Police said that the victim, Suseela, was illegally confined at the Pulluvila Church by the prohibition activists on Tuesday morning. An official said the woman has complained of physical assault and harassment at the hands of the prohibition activists.

She was freed following the intervention of the police. None has been arrested in connection with the incident.

Meanwhile, the police have registered a case of violation of the Abkari Act against Suseela on the charge that she was illegally stocking and retailing IMFL.

Life-term for murder

A 35-year-old man, who was found guilty of the murder of a 73-year-old woman, was today sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life by the Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court-I), Y. Tajudeen Koya here.

The court found the accused, Anirudhan alias Rudhan, guilty of theft, trespass and destruction of evidence under sections 92, 449 and 201 of the Indian Penal Code. Along with the life sentence of 12 years for murder under section 302 of the IPC, Anirudhan has been ordered to serve another eight years for the rest of the offences.

The court ordered that the sentences run continuously.

The prosecution case was that Anirudhan had killed Lakshmi (73), who was staying alone at her house near Aylam in Attingal, with the intention of robbing her. Lakshmi's body was discovered on December 9, 1998 in the well inside the compound of her house.

The post-mortem examination report was that Lakshmi had died due to blunt injuries caused to her head and neck.

The case was prosecuted by Special Prosecutor, Celine Wilfred.

The case was chargesheeted by the Dy.SP. (Crime Branch), B. Sasidharan, who was then the Circle Inspector (Varkala).

RI in fake note case

A 40-year-old man, who was found guilty of possessing fake U.S dollars, was today sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 by the Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court), U. Sarathchandran, here today.

The accused, Abdul Wahid, along with two others, were arrested from the Airport area in 1987. The prosecution case was that the accused were members of a gang that specialised in passing of fake US dollars to air-passengers as original currency. The gang made a profit from selling the counterfeit US currency notes to passengers at a price lower than the prevalent foreign exchange rate.

The prosecution, led by Public Prosecutors, S. R. Jayakumar and K. S. Padmakumar, argued that scores of air-passengers had been cheated by the gang. Many who traveled abroad found themselves unwittingly on the wrong side of law for possessing fake currency, they told the court.

RSS men held

The Fort police have arrested two RSS activists in connection with the armed attack at the Iranimutam Homeo college on November 5 in which a student, Sunil Thomas, sustained serious cut injuries.

The Circle Inspector (Fort), V. S. Muhammad Kasfim, identified the accused as Hemachandran (22) of Valiavila and Murukan (26) of Attukal. Both were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate court (JFMC) on charges of attempted murder. They were remanded to 14 days in judicial custody.

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