Karanavar murder case: Sherin granted parole amidst controversies, usual procedure, says jail department 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has granted parole to Sherin, the first accused in the Bhaskara Karanavar murder case. She has been granted parole for 15 days from April 5. She is also allowed to travel for three days. The prison department's response to the parole is that it is a usual procedure. The cabinet’s decision to release Sherin after relaxing her sentence had stroked a controversy.

The government had frozen the decision after huge protests arose against the cabinet decision and Sherin turning an accused in a case again for assaulting a fellow prisoner. The cabinet decided to grant relaxation to Sherin after she had completed 14 years of her sentence. The governor got a complaint to stop her release. The government also received an indication that the governor might seek an explanation in this situation. So the decision was later frozen.

Bhaskara Karanavar was murdered by his son's wife Sherin in November 2009. The plan for the murder was hatched after Karanavar realized Sherin's illicit relationships and love affairs. Karanavar, who had returned to the country from the United States, was strangled to death in his sleep. Apart from Sherin, Basith Ali, Nithin alias Unni, and Shanu Rasheed were also sentenced to life imprisonment by the court in the case. The verdict in the Karanavar murder case was delivered on June 11 in 2010. On the same day, Sherin was sentenced by the Mavelikkara fast-track court and sent to Poojappura Central Jail.

She was then shifted to Neyyattinkara Women's Jail. She was later shifted to Viyyur Central Jail in March 2015 as part of disciplinary action after she was found using mobile phone. A big controversy sparked after prison doctor granted umbrella to her to protect her from the sun. There was also a complaint that she had threatened the prison officials. In March 2017, she was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram Women's Jail. Sherin is presently in Kannur Central Jail.