The release of Abdul Rahim, a Kozhikode native who has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for the last 18 years, seems just a couple of weeks away, with the court proceedings gaining momentum. The family of the teenager, the murder of whom has been charged on Mr. Rahim, has agreed to grant him pardon for a compensation of 15 million Saudi Riyals (roughly ₹34 crore).
The Abdul Rahim Legal Assistance Committee, with members across the world, had collected the money in what could be termed the biggest ever crowdfunding in Kerala’s history to save Mr. Rahim, who was facing death sentence until recently for the murder he committed unknowingly.
‘Money deposited’
“We have deposited the collected money in banks here and it has to be transferred into an account set up by the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia. We are engrossed in the process at present,” K.K. Alikkutty, general convener of the committee told The Hindu here on Friday.
The committee on April 15 has informed the Saudi court through its representatives that the compensation money (Diya) has been arranged. The court formally informed the family of the deceased, who had recently conveyed their willingness to accept the money and grant pardon.
“The counsels of the victim and the culprit have submitted a joint petition before the court for his release. Matters will proceed smoothly once the money transfer and other legal procedures are completed. Hopefully, Mr. Rahim will be home soon,” said Mr. Alikkutty.
Mr. Rahim, an auto rickshaw driver in Feroke, was just 26 years old when he reached Saudi Arabia in search of a better livelihood and started working for a Saudi citizen as his driver and caretaker of his son, who was partially paralysed. The boy breathed and ate through a special device attached to his neck.
The incident
In Mr. Rahim’s version of the fatal incident, he accidentally dislocated the instrument while trying to control the boy who was making a fuss demanding him to violate a red signal on the road. The boy soon fainted and died.
