CHENNAI: In a landmark ruling, a special court for National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases in Poonamallee, Chennai, has sentenced four active cadres of the banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) to life imprisonment. The verdict comes in connection with the high-profile 2016 assassination of C. Sasikumar, who served as the spokesperson for the Hindu Munnani in Coimbatore.

This significant judgment marks the NIA’s first conviction involving operatives of the PFI since the central government officially designated the organization as an unlawful association and slapped a nationwide ban on it in September 2022.

Convicts Penalized and Fine Imposed

The four individuals convicted by the special court have been identified as Sadam Hussain, Subair, Mubarak, and Mohammad Rafiqul Hassan. Each of the accused has been handed a life sentence alongside a monetary fine of ₹30,000.

Meanwhile, a fifth accused in the case, identified as Abu alias Syed Abuthagir, was acquitted by the special court due to insufficient evidence. Reacting to the partial acquittal, the NIA stated that it is currently reviewing the judicial order and exploring all legal options to challenge the acquittal before an appellate court.

Background of the 2016 Assassination

C. Sasikumar was brutally hacked to death by a gang while riding his two-wheeler in Coimbatore on September 22, 2016. According to the anti-terror probe agency, the targeted killing was pre-planned and executed with a malicious intent to strike terror among specific sections of society and trigger widespread communal unrest across the region.

The gruesome murder sent shockwaves through Tamil Nadu, immediately sparking violent protests and clashes across six districts, including Coimbatore City and Coimbatore Rural. State law enforcement authorities were forced to step in heavily, registering over 300 First Information Reports (FIRs) to control the escalating law-and-order situation.

Investigation and Trial Timeline

The case was initially registered at the Thudiyalur Police Station in Coimbatore and was initially probed by the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) of the Tamil Nadu Police. Recognizing the gravity and larger conspiracy behind the crime, the Union Government transferred the case to the NIA on January 22, 2018.

Following a meticulous investigation, the NIA established that the perpetrators were active members of the PFI who had entered into a deep criminal conspiracy to execute the targeted killing. The federal agency subsequently filed a main chargesheet followed by two supplementary chargesheets against five individuals.

The trial officially commenced in 2019. Over the course of the judicial proceedings, the prosecution examined 75 witnesses alongside two defense witnesses.

Ultimately, the court found the four accused guilty under critical provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)—including Section 302 (murder), Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy), and Section 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups)—as well as stringent sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), encompassing Sections 16, 18, and 20.