Government moves HC in Sheela murder case

KOCHI: The state government on Wednesday filed an appeal before the Kerala High Court challenging the Palakkad Additional District and Sessions Court order acquitting Manikantan, the third accused in the murder of Sheela of Puthur in Palakkad district.A Division Bench comprising Justice V Ramkumar and Justice P Q Barkath Ali issued notice to Manikantan and adjourned the hearing of the case. The government submitted that the Sessions Court order was not sustainable and the court did not consider all the materials available.Sheela, the wife of a businessman, was killed in 2010 at her house at Puthur.Her mother Karthyayani was also seriously injured in the attack by the three-member gang. There were three accused in the case, of which Sampath, the first accused died in police custody.The Sessions Court had awarded death sentence to Kanakaraj, the second accused.