Kochi: A petition has been filed before the Kerala High Court by the mother of Abhimanyu, the SFI leader who was murdered in 2018 during a campus political rivalry at the Maharaja's College in Ernakulam. 

She approached the court, saying that despite it being six years after the crime, charges had not been framed against 15 accused. She said the case was still in the preliminary hearing stage, with no indication that the trial would begin soon.

The plea stated, "It is pertinent to note that the case (over the crime that) was committed in 2018 is still at the preliminary hearing stage and has not acquired any progress. The case was posted repeatedly for the appearance of the accused from July 11, 2023 to November 18, 2023. However, most of the accused were absent on all occasions," reported LiveLaw.

The plea alleges that all the accused are politically influential and that they were all enlarged on bail. It states that the undue delay in framing charges would benefit the accused.

Justice Kauser Edappagath has sought a report from the Principal Sessions Court, Ernakulam.

Abhimanyu, a BSc Chemistry student of Maharaja's College, was stabbed to death allegedly by activists of the now-banned Popular Front of India, its student organisation Campus Front of India (CFI), and its political outfit SDPI on July 2, 2018. Four other students were also attacked along with the deceased, and they sustained fatal injuries.

A case was registered under sections 143, 147, 341, 323, 324, 326, 307, 302, 506(ii), 201, 120(B) r/w 149 of IPC, and the charge sheet was initially laid before the Judicial Magistrate of First Class-II, Ernakulam.