CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday confirmed the life imprisonment awarded to 17 persons involved in Melavalavu murders in 1997.

As the State Government failed to challenge the acquittal of 23 other accused in the case, the court could not pass orders despite coming to the conclusion that there was enough material against all 40 accused.

"Even in respect of the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, we have concluded that there is enough material to hold against all the accused. But unfortunately, the State has not preferred appeal against the acquittal of the remaining accused... ," a Division Bench comprising Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice N. Paul Vasanthakumar said.

The matter relates to the brutal murder of six persons, including the newly elected Dalit president of the Melavalavu panchayat, Murugesan, and Dalit vice-president Mookan, on June 30.

The then Principal Sessions Judge of Salem District convicted 17 of the accused and acquitted the remaining 23 persons on the ground that "there was no prior motive or intention to commit the offence."

`Evidence clear'

Slamming the trial court for non-application of mind, the Division Bench said evidence was clear that the murders were committed to "terrorise the Dalit community and prevent them from contesting elections... What needs to be stressed is that both president and the vice-president were specifically targeted and killed." It pointed out that the six deceased persons and the injured victims belonged to the SC community.

The judges said they were not inclined to remit the matter back to the trial court after the lapse of nine years.

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