KOZHIKODE: An extraordinary breakthrough has shattered four decades of silence surrounding a forgotten tragedy in Kozhikode. In an incident that has etched itself into the region’s crime history, Kerala Police have successfully validated the stunning confession of a 55-year-old man who walked into a police station to admit to a double murder committed during his youth.
Following a gruelling 11-month-long investigation, the Thiruvambady police officially confirmed that the teenager killed in Koodaranji, back in late 1986, was Mohanan, a native of Iritty in Kannur district. For nearly 40 years, Mohanan’s relatives had no word of his whereabouts after he vanished, travelling to Kozhikode for manual work.
The unravelling of this cold case began last year when the suspect, Muhammad Ali -- originally named Antony -- surrendered to law enforcement. Plagued by insurmountable guilt, the Vengara resident left police utterly baffled when he claimed he committed his first murder at the tender age of 14. According to his detailed confession, the incident occurred in late 1986 after the victim attempted to sexually assault him in Koodaranji. While desperately resisting, the young Antony pushed the man into a stream and held him under water until he drowned.
“At the time, the crime remained entirely hidden from the world. Local authorities had originally discovered the body and closed the case as one of unidentified drowning due to natural causes,” said Prasanth K, SHO, Thiruvambady police station.
Investigators painstakingly cross-referenced historical archives with missing person reports and unearthed old newspaper clippings from December 5, 1986, which corroborated the exact timeline and location.
Reflecting on the monumental confirmation, Ali, who was arrested and remanded for 14 days in Manjeri sub-jail before being released on bail, told TNIE that he feels a profound sense of relief.
“It is a great relief to know that the victim has been identified,” Ali stated, adding that he is fully prepared to accept whatever punishment the court mandates.
He also made the unusual decision to refuse legal representation. “I don’t want any advocate. There’s uncertainty regarding further legal proceedings in the case, especially when it comes before the court. However, I’m ready for the punishment,” Ali said.
Despite the breakthrough, the case now faces a labyrinth of procedural and judicial uncertainties. Thamarassery DySP Vinod Kumar K noted that since the accused confessed to committing the crime when he was 14, the police might shift the case to the Juvenile Board. However, because it is a peculiar case involving decades-old incidents, the future of the trial remains highly unpredictable.
Legal experts pointed out that filing a chargesheet presents monumental hurdles for the police. The foundational challenge lies in establishing the corpus delicti -- the body of the crime. With no physical remains, weapons, or forensic material surviving the 40-year interim, the prosecution lacks scientific evidence.
Furthermore, a confession made to a police officer is completely inadmissible in court and cannot form the sole basis of a chargesheet. “If the accused chooses not to engage legal counsel and expresses a willingness to accept guilt, the court is still bound by duty to ensure a fair trial and cannot convict a person solely on an uncorroborated, extra-judicial, or police confession in a capital offence,” explained advocate Saji Varghese from Sultan Bathery.
Without independent material recovery to substantiate the admission, the progression of this case through the court system will be fundamentally compromised.
Ali has also confessed to the police that he and an accomplice, known as Ganja Babu, had murdered an unidentified man at Vellayil Beach in 1989 after the victim allegedly snatched money from him. Following up on this statement, investigators uncovered a newspaper report dated September 24, 1989, which documented the recovery of an unidentified body on that very beach.
However, official confirmation of these details remains pending as authorities launch a manhunt for Ganja Babu. Locating the accomplice poses a significant challenge, as Ali completely severed ties and lost contact with him immediately after the crime.
