JUDGMENT :

K. VINOD CHANDRAN, J.

1. Political ideology occupies an exalted place in civil society, but it should enable that society to reach out to higher ideals and sublime values, not lead to mindless killing, plunging families into grief and holding that society itself to ransom. We refrain from referring to the political colours of the parties since, in death, affiliations and ideologies fade into obscurity. Suffice it to say that a young man was brutally hacked to death by his political rivals. On an Onam day, when the people of the State; as legends would have, welcomes a most noble and virtuous King of yore, in whose regime, it is said there existed no dishonesty or deceit; the young man was called out to the streets, from his friend's house, brutally attacked with lethal weapons and dismembered, literally butchering him alive.

2. The charges were under Sections 120B, 143, 147, 148, 324, 307, 302, 212, 109, 201 read with 149 of the Indian Penal Code. There were 18 accused arrayed before the Sessions Court, of which accused 1 to 4 and 7 alone stood convicted. All of them were handed down sentences of imprisonment for life, fine of Rs. 75,000/- with default rigorous imprisonment