KOZHIKODE: The anticipated release of Abdul Rahim Machilakath Peediyekkal, of Kodampuzha, Feroke in Kozhikode, remains uncertain as the Riyadh Criminal Court postponed the verdict during its hearing on Sunday.
The court convened its third hearing on Rahim’s case on the day, which was attended online by Rahim, his lawyer Osama Al Amber, Indian Embassy official Yusuf Kakanchery, and family representative Siddique Thuvvur. However, the case was adjourned for further deliberations.
Rahim, who had earlier been sentenced to death, had his sentence commuted after a compensation of 1.5 crore Saudi riyals (approximately Rs 34 crore) was paid. However, his release remains entangled in legal complexities as unresolved public law aspects of the case continue to hinder closure.
The first hearing on October 21 was adjourned as the court declared that the bench overseeing the case had changed. The second hearing on November 17, held by the bench that stayed the death sentence, concluded without a decision as the court sought additional time for thorough examination. Sunday’s hearing again deferred the final decision, with the court announcing that it needs further scrutiny at all levels before issuing the verdict.
Abdul Rahim, once an autorickshaw driver in Feroke, left for Saudi Arabia in 2006 in pursuit of a better future. He secured a job as a driver in Riyadh, where one of his responsibilities was caring for a differently abled boy in the household. Tragedy struck one day when the boy’s breathing device accidentally fell inside the car while Rahim was driving. The boy lost consciousness and, despite efforts to save him, passed away.
Though the incident was unintentional, Rahim was charged with murder under Saudi law and sentenced to death in 2018. This verdict was upheld by the appeal court in 2022 and later ratified by the Supreme Court. However, the execution has been temporarily stayed as the boy’s family agreed to accept diya (blood money) in exchange for clemency.
Following a large-scale fundraising campaign, the required amount was handed over to the court, but the final verdict remains pending.