In a major verdict emphasising the security of judicial officers, the Kottayam District Sessions Court has sentenced two young men to five years of rigorous imprisonment for threatening a female magistrate. The convicts had threatened to douse her car in petrol and set it ablaze, alleging that she was not taking a favourable stance in an assault case involving them.

The individuals sentenced have been identified as 24-year-old Sreedev Mohan from Ottaplakkal, Perumbaikad, and 27-year-old Nithin Prakash from Sreenavami, Aymanam. The verdict was pronounced by District Sessions Court (5) Judge Hari R Chandran.

Details of the terrifying confrontation
The shocking incident occurred on 23 August 2024 in front of a bank in Kottayam town. The Kottayam Judicial First Class Magistrate had parked her car near the bank when the two accused approached the vehicle carrying a bottle filled with petrol. They aggressively threatened to burn her car and subjected her to severe verbal abuse, claiming she had taken a biased stand against them in court proceedings.

The prosecution was led by advocates Saji S Nair, Cyril Thomas Parappuram, and Dhanush Babu, who argued that threatening a member of the judiciary undermines the rule of law and warrants strict punishment as a deterrent.