KOCHI: The Ernakulam Additional Sessions Court on Wednesday sentenced A S Joshy, 49, aka Karuppai Joshy to life imprisonment and slapped Rs 2 lakh fine on him for murdering 61-year-old M A Shamsudheen, a Kochi-based businessman, in 2013. If he fails to pay the fine, Joshy must undergo another six months of rigorous imprisonment. Of the fine amount, Rs 1 lakh should be disbursed to the legal heirs of Shamsudheen.
As many as 28 witnesses were examined during the trial which commenced on August 13, 2019. Some of the witnesses had turned hostile.
As per the prosecution, Joshy murdered Shamsudheen, a Pullepady resident and owner of Kings Shoe Mart at Broadway, over a real estate deal. The court found Joshy guilty under IPC Section 302 (murder).
The prosecution said the accused stabbed Shamsudheen near INTUC Junction at Maradu here at 9.10pm on January 7, 2013 as vengeance as the deceased did not give the brokerage for the sale of 1.16 acres of land at Kizhakkambalam for Rs 45 lakh, as demanded by the accused.
Shamsudheen was found dead by the side of the Nettur Vegetable Market Road, barely 1km away from the venue of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas meet attended by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The gruesome murder had shocked Kochi.