Justice C Jayachandran declined the petitions filed by 24th and 25th accused Najeeb and Shanavas, who had claimed that the final report had not yet been filed in the matter, even though they were arrested in 2018.
The court noted the State’s contention that the petitioners were only accused of aiding the first 16 accused who were allegedly directly involved in the death of Abhimanyu, an SFI student leader, in 2018.
Abhimanyu was allegedly stabbed to death by activists of the Campus Front of India and the Popular Front of India at the Maharajas College Campus in 2018.
The petitioners argued that the evidence presented during the trial scheduled to be held continuously from October 15 would prejudice their case. In this regard, the court observed that the evidence adduced against the first 16 accused could not be used against the petitioners as per the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The court held that there was a marked difference in the nature and character of the evidence set to be produced against the petitioners, who were only charged with the offences of aiding and abetting, and the first 16 accused, who were booked for direct involvement.
Additionally, the court noted that it had previously set a time limit for the trial’s disposal, and that any interference at this point would unsettle the trial schedule, leading to non-compliance with previous directions.
EOM
Published - October 14, 2026 07:00 am IST