TP Chandrasekharan Murder Case: Kerala High Court Denies Parole To Life Convict To Conduct Funeral Rites Of Cousin
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (December 30) refused to grant emergency leave to Jyothi Babu, one of the convicts in the T.P. Chandrasekharan murder case, to conduct the funeral rites of his cousin.
T.P. Chandrasekharan, leader of the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP), was murdered due to political rivalry on May 4, 2012. Babu was convicted of the murder and is presently undergoing life imprisonment in Central Prison and Correctional Home, Kannur.
Following his cousin's recent demise, Babu's wife had preferred a plea seeking emergency leave to carry out the funeral rites. According to her, Babu is the only elder male member of the family who can perform the funeral rites of the deceased.
After the her representation before the Superintendent of Jail was dismissed, she had approached the High Court.
The Court remarked that no material was produced to substantiate the claim that Babu was the only person capable of conducting the rituals. It was also found that the deceased was not a close relative, warranting grant of emergency leave.
Dismissing the plea, Justice Jobin Sebastian observed:
"the deceased is neither a parent nor a sibling of the convict. On the contrary, the deceased is only the son of the convict's paternal uncle. Therefore, the relationship between the convict and the deceased cannot be considered sufficiently proximate to justify the grant of emergency leave. Unwarranted leniency in matters relating to emergency leave or parole would be undesirable, particularly in view of the fact that the petitioner's husband is a convict in a murder case."
Case No: WP(Crl.) No. 1810 of 2025
Case Title: Smitha P.G. v. State of Kerala and Ors.
Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 857
Counsel for the petitioner: Eldhose Joy, Sarafudheen T., Amarjith Vaduvankuty
Counsel for the respondents: Maya M.N. - Public Prosecutor