Chennai: The Madras High Court today upheld a lower court order, sentencing 14 persons to life imprisonment in the former MLA M K Balan murder case.

A division bench comprising Justice D Murugesan and Justice K N Basha, upheld the order of a Fast Track Court (FTC), Chennai on April 19, 2004, sentencing Poonga Nagar Manickam and 13 others to life imprisonment, while dismissing the appeals preferred by the 14 accused against the order.

The bench, however, acquitted Leela Shankar, who was awarded life sentence by the FTC in the case. The bench also upheld the FTC order acquitting Romitta Mary and Naraimudi Ganesan while dismissing the appeal filed by the state government against their acquittal.

Holding that the prosecution has proved the case beyond reasonable doubt, the bench said, "We are of the considered view that there was absolutely no infirmity or illegality in the judgement of the trial court, convicting and sentencing the 14 accused to life terms for the offences." Acquitting Leela Shankar, the bench said.

"Though Leela Shankar had been identified by two prosecution witnesses, he was not identified in the test identification parade. In view of this vital contradiction, we are of the view that it would be unsafe to convict him holding that he was also involved in the crime."