Advocate Keerthi Jayanandhan argued for her father’s release on a petition moved by her mother, Jayanandhan’s wife Indira.
In a recent development, the Kerala High Court has approved parole for Ripper Jayanandhan, a notorious murderer serving a life sentence in a high-security prison.
Justice PV Kunhikrishnan, who authorized Jayanandhan’s two-day escort parole to attend a book launch event, highlighted several unique aspects of the case. Notably, Keerthi Jayanandhan, the convict’s daughter, presented a petition supported by her mother, Jayanandhan’s wife, advocating for her father’s release.
The court acknowledged the efforts of Jayanandhan’s wife and daughter in securing this decision and emphasized the significance of a daughter’s legal battle to facilitate her father’s attendance at the event, despite his involvement in multiple cases, including five homicides. The court quoted the line from the poem “Achaneyanenikkishtam” by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, which underscores the cherished relationship between a child and their father.
Additionally, Justice Kunhikrishnan noted that Jayanandhan, who had completed only ninth-grade education, authored the book during his seventeen years in prison. The court commended his literary achievement, considering his limited educational background.
While Jayanandhan’s criminal record includes approximately twenty-three cases, including five homicide charges, he was convicted in two of the homicide cases but acquitted in the remaining three. Furthermore, he managed to escape from prison twice during his seventeen-year sentence.
Despite his criminal history, Jayanandhan has been writing novels and short stories for the past seventeen years, with one of his publications, “Pulari Viriyum Munpe,” scheduled for release on December 23 at the Ernakulam Press Club. Jayanandhan intends to allocate the proceeds from the book’s sales to support children with special needs.
Previously, Jayanandhan had been granted a two-day escort parole to attend his eldest daughter’s wedding. However, when he sought parole to attend his book launch, the jail authorities denied his request citing the Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services (Management) Rules, 2014, which prohibit ordinary leave and emergency leave for individuals convicted under Sections 392 to 402 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Section 394 of the IPC, which deals with causing injury while committing or attempting robbery, applied to Jayanandhan’s conviction.
Nevertheless, the Court found the circumstances warranted its intervention in this specific case, emphasizing the significance of a long-detained inmate authoring a book and wanting to attend its release ceremony. The Court stated that it believes the Constitutional Court should intervene despite the existing rules prohibiting such a release.
Consequently, Ripper Jayanandhan has been granted escort parole for December 22nd and 23rd, allowing him to attend the book launch event. The Court emphasized that this decision is a result of the legal battles waged by the convict’s wife and daughter and urged him to comply with the court’s directives, allowing them to continue their legal efforts within the bounds of the law.
