Paul Muthoot murder case: Kerala HC sets aside life term to 8 convicts

Read this story in Malayalam

On August 21, 2009, a gang of 13 persons, travelling in two vehicles, had been contracted by a businessman to settle scores with a rival of his. While they were travelling on the MC Road in Alappuzha, they came to witness a road-rage incident in which Paul, driving a Ford Endeavour, slammed into a two-wheeler motorist and drove away without helping the victim. The gang followed Paul on the road and waylaid him near Mannanchery. During the altercation that followed, Satheesh stabbed Paul causing him grievous injuries that eventually led to the latter’s death.

Paul Muthoot

The case, initially investigated by the state police and handed over to the CBI, was high-profile in nature and attracted intense media scrutiny at the time.

The CBI court in 2015 found 13 persons guilty, out of which nine were given life sentences. They were convicted on charges of murder, abetment of crime, wrongful restraint, unlawful assembly and violation of the Arms Act. Separately, all 13 persons had also been found guilty of conspiring to kill a man by a businessman and handed out 13 years of rigorous imprisonment. Both sentences were to served concurrently.