A final verdict on the discharge petition filed by Kozhikode native Abdul Rahim, who was earlier sentenced to death after he had been charged with murder under the Saudi law and later granted pardon, has been postponed for the sixth time by a Riyadh criminal court.
The court adjourned the proceedings after an hour-long sitting on Wednesday to further review the case. Functionaries of a committee formed to offer legal support to Mr. Rahim said that they were awaiting the date of next hearing.
Technical error
The last hearing was held on December 30, 2024, in which the court concluded that the case had to be further analysed before a final verdict was given. Though the final verdict was expected in the previous sitting itself on December 12, 2024, an unexpected technical error resulted in the adjournment of the hearing without any resolution.
The first hearing held on October 21 on the discharge petition was adjourned following the court’s declaration that the bench overseeing the case had changed. Though the subsequent sittings had stayed the death sentence, the court’s order to thoroughly examine the case again came as an unexpected development.
History of case
Mr. Rahim was sentenced to death in 2006 for the murder of a 15-year-old Saudi boy, the son of his sponsor. The man, who has been undergoing imprisonment for over 18 years, was recently granted pardon by the victim’s family after receiving a blood money of ₹34 crore. The blood money, mobilised with the support of individuals and organisations, also relieved him from death sentence.
Published – January 15, 2025 05:49 pm IST
