Tantri case: Six including Sobha John sentenced to seven years

KOCHI: The Ernakulam District Additional Sessions Court awarded a sentence of seven years to six persons including Shobha John in the blackmailing of former Sabarimala tantri Kandararu Mohanaru.

Apart from Shobha John, others sentenced were Anil Kumar, Bechu Rehman, Abdul Sathar, Majeed and Sherif. The court also slapped a fine of Rs 5000 on all the accused.

The remaining two identified as Biji Peter and Aziz will have to undergo an imprisonment of four years. The sixth accused Abdul Sahad, who faced the trial, was absconding, so the sentence against him was not pronounced today.

The incident happened on July 23 in 2006. The accused had hatched a conspiracy and threatened the tantric with a gun in a flat in Kochi and grabbed his ornaments.