Renjith Johnson murder case: High court upholds life sentences of five accused

KOCHI: The High Court upheld the life imprisonment and fine of the five accused in the case of kidnapping, murder and burial of Renjith Johnson, a native of Kollam, Ayyarumukku.

Meanwhile, the 25-year imprisonment without parole awarded by the trial court was modified to a single life term. The High Court acquitted two accused due to a lack of evidence. The crucial order of the Division Bench comprising Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Jobin Sebastian was passed on appeals filed by the accused against the order issued by the Kollam Additional Sessions Court on May 14, 2019.

The convictions of accused one to five, namely Manoj (Pambu Manoj) of Thazhuthala Puthyaveetil, Ranjith (Kattunni) of Paravur Kacherivila, Baiju (Unni) of Poothakulam, Pranav of Vadakkevizha Thottinkara, and Vishnu of Mukhathala Konathukavu, were upheld.

The sixth and seventh accused, Vinesh of Kilikolloor and Riyas of Vadakkevila, were acquitted. The trial court's verdict that the accused should pay a fine of one lakh rupees and each of them pay a compensation of two lakh rupees to the dependents of the victim remains unchanged. The second accused, Ranjith, was earlier sentenced to death in a murder case registered by the Nedumangad police. The reference to uphold this is also under consideration by the High Court.

The incident related to the case took place on August 15, 2018. First accused Manoj's wife eloped with Renjith, even leaving her children. Manoj and Ranjith quarrelled over the issue.

On the day of the incident, the accused went to Renjith's house in a rented car, offered him alcohol, and persuaded him to come with him. Renjith was taken to Meenad near Polachira, where he was brutally beaten to death. The body was taken to Samathvapuram in Tamil Nadu in a car and buried near Palayamkottai. The accused were arrested within days.