[1]The Ernakulam additional sessions court on Tuesday found Shobha John and eight other accused guilty in the Sabarimala Tantri Kandararu Mohanaru blackmailing case. The court will pass the verdict on Wednesday.
Giving a clean chit to the Tantri, judge E.C. Harigovindan observed, “It is crystal clear that Mohanaru went to the flat to pick up the caretaker and not for prostitution."
The court upheld the arguments of the prosecution and found that first accused Shobha John, third accused Anil Kumar and fourth accused Bechu Rehman had committed offences punishable under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy).
Bechu Rehman was also found guilty under section 216A (harbouring robbers). Abdul Sahad, Abdul Sathar, Majeed and Shereef alias Umbu, the tenth and eleventh accused Asees of Kasargod and Biji Peter of Guruvayoor were also found guilty.
Ernakulam central police had filed the charge sheet against 11 accused. Sixth accused Abdul Sahad is absconding. Meanwhile, police is yet to arrest two accused —Binil Kumar alias Bijil of Vellarada and Ashif.
The prosecution case was that the accused hatched a conspiracy and threatened the Tantri with a gun, in Link Lexman’s flat in Ernakulam and grabbed his ornaments.
The accused allegedly took photographs of the Tantri and a woman in compromising positions and demanded Rs.30 lakh. The incident happened on July 23, 2006.
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