Pranav B Prem

In a significant ruling, the Kerala High Court has upheld the conviction of eight CPI(M) workers involved in a brutal attack on RSS leader Sadanandan Master in 1994. The court, while enhancing the compensation awarded to the victim, strongly condemned the act of political violence and observed that political opponents must be defeated in the electoral battlefield, not through physical elimination.

Background of the Case

The case arose from an incident on January 25, 1994, when Sadanandan Master, a district leader of the RSS, was ambushed by CPI(M) workers in Kannur. The attackers, armed with deadly weapons, brutally hacked him, severing both his legs. They also hurled a country-made bomb at the scene to instill terror and prevent anyone from coming to his aid. The prosecution alleged that twelve CPI(M) workers conspired to murder Sadanandan Master due to political rivalry. The Trial Court convicted Accused Nos. 1 to 8; however, Accused Nos. 9 to 12 were acquitted. The convicted individuals appealed the judgment, while the victim's side challenged the acquittals and sought an enhancement of the sentence as well as compensation.

Court’s Observations

A Single Bench of Justice C.S. Sudha, while delivering the judgment, made scathing remarks on the culture of political violence, stating: “It seems to have become the norm of the day of some to silence political opponents by either killing or maiming them severely for the rest of their life. If this is not intolerance, then what is? This sort of activity by any person, let alone a political party, can at no cost be encouraged and such offences will have to be dealt with an iron hand.” The court highlighted that the accused attacked Sadanandan Master solely because he had switched his political allegiance and was gaining prominence in the locality. It noted that “the accused persons belonging to a rival political party just could not accept/digest it.”

The Bench further stressed that political parties must engage in electoral battles rather than resort to physical violence to eliminate their opponents. “Political parties have to deal with or finish their political opponents in the electoral battlefield and not engage in bloodshed and remove the opponents from the face of the earth itself.”

Legal Analysis and Verdict

The Kerala High Court refused to interfere with the conviction, rejecting the arguments of the accused that the evidence against them was insufficient. The court stated that “There is no rigid or inflexible rule that the evidence of a related or interested witness shall be viewed with suspicion under all circumstances. While acting on the evidence of an interested witness, it is only that the court must act with discerning circumspection and utmost prudence.” It also dismissed the defense’s argument that the lack of recovered weapons weakened the prosecution’s case, observing that “recovery of weapon(s) used in the commission of an offence is not a sine qua non to convict the accused.”

Furthermore, the judgment remarked on the severity and premeditated nature of the attack, stating: “The attack seems to have been premeditated and well planned. Not only had A1 to A8 hacked PW1 repeatedly leading to both his legs being severed, they also made sure that nobody approached PW1 to rescue/save him. This makes the offences all the more grave/severe.” The court acknowledged that while the sentence of seven years was light considering the gravity of the crime, the State had not filed an appeal under Section 377 Cr.P.C. for enhancement of the sentence. However, it ordered an increase in compensation to the victim, directing the accused to pay Rs. 50,000 each under Section 357(3) Cr.P.C.

Cause Title: Sadanandan v. State of Kerala & Ors.

Citation: 2025:KER:6743

Bench: Justice C.S. Sudha

[Read/Download order]