INDIA: CONVICT APPEALS IN ALADI ARUNA MURDER CASE

a convict sentenced to death in the Aladi Aruna Murder Case filed an appeal against his conviction before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court in India. The Principal Sessions Court, Tirunelveli, awarded the death sentence to P Balamurugan, 32, alias Bala, and D Azhagar, 34, alias Valarntha Azhagar, in the sensational murder case of former minister and Senior DMK Leader V Arunachalam alias Aladi Aruna and his teacher-friend R Ponraj in 2004. The court acquitted six others on April 17, 2007. He contended the witness's claim that he had informed the police at Mr Aruna's petrol pump and his home were fabricated by the police. The police also did not question Mr Aruna's driver. If they had interrogated him, it would be known whether the witness was at the spot or not. Moreover, the accused had not been identified properly. They were called by their names in the presence of witnesses who were then asked to identify them, he said. Stating that the capital punishment awarded to him was very extreme, Azhagar asked the court to reduce the sentence.