Fourteen Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)/Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists, who were accused of conspiring and murdering Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) leader Faisal in Thrissur in 2013, were acquitted by a trial court in Thrissur recently.
K. Kamanees, Additional Sessions Judge-I, acquitted all the accused in the case after finding that the prosecution failed to prove that the accused were involved in the conspiracy and assault that led to the death of the DYFI leader.
Serious contradictions
The court found that the statements of all the prime witnesses lacked clarity and coherence. Many contradictions were serious in nature and undermined the core of the prosecution’s contentions, the court said. Different witnesses gave contradictory versions regarding an iron pipe, which was said to be a weapon used by the accused, the judge noted.
The court found that all the prime witnesses were members of a particular political organisation, belligerent to the organisation to which the accused persons belonged. Political inclination is not a reason to place distrust in the witness by itself. However, all the prime witnesses were keen not to reveal their political inclination. Yet, they admitted their political involvement gradually when pressed by the defence. Many of the prime witnesses are close relatives of a local committee secretary of the organisation. The court needs to be vigilant on these aspects and act with circumspection, the court held.
Published – February 02, 2026 08:41 pm IST
