Kerala law student rape and murder: Supreme Court seeks response of Kerala, Assam on plea by death row convict for transfer to Assam jail

The Supreme Court on Monday sought the response of the Kerala and Assam State governments on plea by death row convict Mohammed Ameerul Islam seeking his transfer from Kerala to a jail in Assam..Ameerul was sentenced to death by the trial court in 2017 for the rape and murder of a Dalit law student in 2016. The petition before the top court stated that due to extreme poverty, the convict's wife and aged parents, who are in Assam, are not able to come and meet Islam at Viyyur jail in Kerala where he is currently lodged.A bench of Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Hrishikesh Roy issued notice, returnable in 4 weeks, to both the States.During the hearing the counsel for convict stated that both States' Governors had rejected the plea for transfer."They are saying death row prisoners cannot be transferred. Transfer of Prisoners Act is a central law, will come into play. It is in concurrent list," counsel added..As a basic human right, the petitioner has a right to meet his family members, it was contended in plea.The plea further highlighted that the convict had made a representation to the Governor of Assam requesting that he be transferred to Assam but the Governor had replied saying that the jurisdiction is with Kerala.Advocates K Parameshwar, Sriram Parakkat and Satheesh Mohanan appeared for Ameerul..The mutilated corpse of the victim, a law student from Government Law College, Ernakulam, was found in her house at Perumbavoor on April 28, 2016. The incident provoked mass outrage amongst the student fraternity and human rights activists across the State. The case also acquired a casteist undertone, as victim's family lamented their apparent ill-treatment by neighbours in the area.Online social media campaigns launched by student activists played a crucial role in mobilizing reactions and mounting pressure on the government to bring the guilty to account.Ameerul, a migrant worker from Assam, was eventually hauled up and accused of having committed the crime after he broke into victim's house in a drunken stupor the night before. Ameerul was arrested in July 2016 from Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu..The trial, which had commenced in April 2016, concluded in December 2017. Ameerul was found guilty by the trial court based on DNA evidence and testimony offered by witnesses.The reference to confirm the death sentence awarded to him is pending before the Kerala High Court.