Abduction, killing of Mysuru-based healer lands 3 in jail

NT Correspondent

Malappuram/Mysuru: A Kerala court on Saturday sentenced to varying jail terms, ranging from 5 years to 13 years, the three persons convicted for the abduction of a Mysuru-based traditional healer and his brutal killing at one of the accused's residence at Nilambur here in 2019. Additional District and Sessions Judge 1 Thushar M sentenced Shaibin Ashraf, the main accused, to a total of 13 years and nine months in prison in connection with the abduction and killing of 60-year-old Shaba Sharif in 2019.

The court sentenced him to eight years under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), three years under section 347 (wrongful confinement), two years under section 120B (criminal conspiracy) and nine months under section 201 (destruction of evidence) under the IPC and said the sentences shall run consecutively, public prosecutor E M Krishnan Namboodiri said. The court sentenced Shihabudheen to two years under section 120B, three years under section 347, three years under section 365 (kidnapping) and nine months under section 201 of the IPC for a total of eight years and nine months as the sentences have to be served consecutively.

The third convict Nishad was sentenced to two years under section 120B, three years under section 347 and nine months under section 201 of the IPC for a total of five years and nine months as the punishments have to be served consecutively, the prosecutor said. Besides this, the court also imposed a total fine of Rs 3.5 lakh on the three and said that if the amount was recovered from them, it shall be given to the victim's family, according to the prosecutor.

The court had convicted the three of them on March 20. The court had acquitted nine others who were accused in the case. After the conviction of the three, the prosecutor in the case had told reporters outside the court that a single hair found in Ashraf's car became instrumental in proving that Sharif was killed and his body disposed of by the accused.

"No body or body parts were found and therefore, it was very challenging to prove the case against the accused," the prosecutor had said and praised the investigation carried out by the police. He said that through the mitochondrial DNA of Sharif found in the hair, it was possible to prove the crime against the accused.