KOCHI:
The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court on Tuesday found accused Ameerul Islam, a migrant worker from Assam, guilty in the Jisha murder and rape case. The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment tomorrow.
Twenty-nine-year-old Jisha, a law student hailing from Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district, was brutally raped and murdered at her house in Kuruppampadi on April 28, 2016. The brutal murder triggered massive public outrage and a heated debate on the question of women’s safety in Kerala.
Islam, the only accused in the case, was arrested 49 days after the incident took place. A 1,500-page chargesheet was submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case on September 17 last year.
Islam was found guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 302 (murder), 376 (Rape) 376 (A) (causing death or causes the woman to be in persistent vegetative state while committing rape). The accused, however, was not found guilty under 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) and various sections under SC/ST (prevention of atrocities) amendment Act 2015. The court had on December 6 completed the hearing in the case and posted it for today for pronouncement of judgement.
As many as 100 witnesses were examined during the trial which commenced in April last year. The LDF government, after assuming power in May last year, changed the investigation team and entrusted the probe to ADGP B Sandhya in its first cabinet meeting itself.
More than 100 police personnel had questioned over 1,500 people. Finger prints of over 5,000 people were also examined by the SIT personnel who went through over 20 lakh telephonic conversations before reaching Islam.
