Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Dec 18: The first additional district and sessions court here has acquitted Imran, Siddique and Abdulla, who had been accused of murdering Abdul Rashid, a scrap merchant from Kudroli here, five years ago.

The other two accused, Naseema, wife of Abdul Rashid, and Muhammed Ali, are not traceable. One more accused, Saleem, is no more.

Abdul Rashid and his wife, Naseema, had differences on the family front. Naseema often demanded divorce from her husband, but he was not agreeable. In the meantime, she was in love with Imran from Udupi, and her husband, after coming to know about this development, had begun to harass Naseema. Fed up by his torture, Naseema decided to kill her husband and sought help from paramour, Imran, and brother-in-law, Saleem. She also is said to have paid Rs 50,000 as contract killing consideration. She had appointed Abdulla and Siddique from Manjeshwar for executing the murder plan.

On the night of June 20, 2013, Naseema reportedly mixed sleeping pills in the milk she offered to her husband. At around 1.45 am the same night, Saleem, Abdulla, and Siddique arrived at her home, killed Rashid, and tossed the body into Gurpur river nearby, it is said.

The body of of Rashid was found near the forest guest house at Kudroli Bengre on June 21. Panambur poolice registered the murder case. The then police sub-inspector, Bharati, found during the visit to Rashid's house, that blood stains were scattered in the bedroom. When questioned, Naseema confessed to the crime, and she was arrested. Investigation was then shifted to Bunder police station.

The Bunder police thereafter arrested Muhammed Ali, Saleem, Abdulla, Siddque, and Imran. Judge of the court, Sharada, who examined 36 witnesses including the children of Rashid, found that the charges levelled against the accused were not conclusively proved.

Advocates, Venukumar and Yuvaraj K Ameen, had argued the case on behalf of Siddique.