Malappuram (Kerala): The Manjeri Additional District and Session's Court-1, on Thursday found three accused guilty in the abduction and murder of Mysuru-based 60-year-old traditional healer Shaba Sheriff.
Judge Thushar M found first accused (A1) Shaibin Ashraff (37), a business man of Mukkatta near Nilambur, (A2) his manager P Shihabudeen (39) of Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad and (A6) N Nishad (32) of Malappuram, guilty under the charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, destruction of evidence and conspiracy angle.
This is said to be the first time in the legal history of Kerala that a murder case has been successfully solved without recovering the victim's body or human parts. A mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) test on hair recovered from Shaibin Asharaff's car confirmed that it belonged to the victim and the witness statement of 7th accused T Nowshad of Sulthan Bathery played a crucial role in the case, said special prosecutor Adv E M Krishnan Namboodhiri.
The court acquitted nine other accused including Shaibin Ashraff's wife Fasna for lack of evidence.
One accused Fazal died at Goa and another accused Shameem is still at large. The quantum of punishment for the guilty will be pronounced on March 22.
Mysuru based traditional healer believed to cure piles, was abducted by Shaibin Asharaff led gang in August 2019 and they made him captive over 18 months at his house in Mukkatta with a motive to extracting secret formula for a potent herbal remedy and knowledge of healing medicine to cure piles and make money by trading in medicines and also planning to open a hospital in Wayanad.
Following this Shaba Sheriff's family lodged a missing complaint before the Saraswathipuram police station in August 2019.
Shaba Sheriff did not reveal the secrets of the medicines even after being chained for 18 months and tortured brutally. Then the gang killed him on October 8, 2020. Later, the body was dumped in the Chaliyar river near Edavanna in Malappuram district.
The crime came to light on April 23, 2022, when Shaibin Asharaff filed a police complaint claiming he had been attacked at his residence, subsequently, three of the accused threatening self immolation during a demonstration before the Kerala Secretariat on April 28.
Police overpowered them and during the questioning, they confessed the murder of Shaba Sheriff and involvement of Shaibin Asharaff. The trial began in February 2024, testified 80 witnesses and verified scientific documents related to the case.
