In a thrilling courtroom drama that spanned three decades, the Additional District and Sessions Court at Manjeri delivered a verdict on Friday, November 28. Shafeek Malangadan, 56, was found guilty of the murder of Youth League worker Manaf Palliparamban, a chilling crime that shocked Othayi near Edavanna back in 1995. The court charged Shafeek under IPC Section 302 for murder. Judge A.V. Tellus will announce the exact sentence on Saturday, November 29, keeping many eager to learn Shafeek's fate. But here’s the twist — Shafeek's brother Shareef, 54, along with Muneeb Kottapuram, 52, and Kabeer aka Jabir Payyanattuthodi, 52, were acquitted! The prosecution couldn’t prove their role in the crime. What happened that day? At 11:30 a.m. on April 13, 1995, Manaf was brutally beaten and stabbed in front of terrified local crowds at Othayi bazaar. The case also dragged in political heavyweights like former MLA P.V. Anvar and his father P.V. Shoukathali. Sadly, Shoukathali died before the chargesheet was even filed. The crime’s shadows loomed larger as four key accused ran away to the Gulf, hiding for 25 years! Thanks to the never-say-die efforts of Manaf's family, they were finally brought back to face justice. However, drama continued inside the courtroom. The trial court cleared Mr. Anvar and 20 others after a key witness turned hostile. Manaf’s family raised serious fingers at the special prosecutor C. Sreedharan Nair—who later became Director General of Prosecutions—accusing him of working with the defense. "Neither taking action against the hostile witness nor examining other witnesses to secure a conviction," they claimed. The fight isn’t over yet! Manaf’s brother Abdul Razak has filed a revision petition at the High Court, trying to reverse the acquittals of Mr. Anvar and others. Manaf’s uncle Aboobacker shared, “We will appeal against the acquittal of the second accused Shareef.” Meanwhile, Manaf’s siblings Razak, Mansoor, and Rajeena expressed their joy, saying, "We are happy that our 30-year-old legal struggle yielded results." This saga of crime, politics, and relentless pursuit of justice has taken human patience and hope to new heights. Stay tuned for the sentencing announcement tomorrow!