Kerala High court on Tuesday dismissed a petition by Former IGP K Lakshamana, who sought suspesnion of life impriosnment awarded to him by CBI Special court in the Naxal Varghese murder case.
Lakshmana stated that he was 75 and was suffering from various ailments and hence his sentence should be suspedned.
Rejcting his plea, a division bench comprising Jutice Pious Kuriakose and Justice P S Gopinathan said even though he is old aged and having health problems, that was not a justification for suspending the execution of the sentence.
However, the bench posted the appeal for final hearing to second week of march 2011.
The bench said if the disposal of appeal is not over by sept 30, 2011, appellant can again approach the court with a fresh petition for suspension of his sentence.
The court had delivered the sentence on Oct 27 2010, forty years after the brutal killing of naxal leader A Varghese. While Lakshmana was convicted, the court had acquitted former DGP P Vijayan giving him the benefit of doubt.
Varghese was gunned downed by police in cold blood in the thirunelli forests in Kerala's wayanad district on Feb 18 1970 and it was described as 'encounter' death.
{{/usCountry}}Varghese was gunned downed by police in cold blood in the thirunelli forests in Kerala's wayanad district on Feb 18 1970 and it was described as 'encounter' death.
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