Ripper Xavier acquitted in ninth murder case, complete acquittal in all charges

KOCHI: Panicker Kunjumon alias Ripper Xavier from Kinattingal Veedu in Ernakulam Thevara Mammanjimukku has been acquitted by the court in nine murder cases that had deeply shaken Ernakulam city. This decision paves the way for Xavier's imminent release.

Initially, Xavier was acquitted in eight murder cases but he had received a life sentence for the killing of his friend Unnikrishnan. Upon appeal, Justice PB Suresh Kumar overturned this sentence. A division bench of the High Court comprising Suresh Kumar and Justice Johnson John acquitted Xavier. The accusations against him involved robbery and killing of a family of nine in their sleep by striking them on the head with stones.

Having spent seven years in jail, Xavier faced trials across various cases. Ultimately, the prosecution failed to substantiate the charges against him leading to his acquittal in all cases except for the murder of Unnikrishnan.