Riyadh: A Saudi Arabian court postponed the proceedings in the case of an Indian national, Abdul Rahim, for the fifth time on Monday, further delaying his release from prison. The case is now scheduled for a new hearing on January 15, 2025, at 8:00 am.
The hearing was previously postponed also on December 12 due to “technical issues", and later it was scheduled on Monday for conclusion, paving the way for his release. However, the Riyadh Criminal Court also postponed Monday’s proceedings without resolution, citing the need for further studies even as it considered the case.
Rahim's family, including mother Fathima, expressed their disappointment over the “inordinate delay” in procedures.
Rahim, an auto driver from Kozhikode in Kerala, relocated to Saudi Arabia in 2006 for work. He worked as a driver in Riyadh and also as a caregiver to a 15-year-old differently-abled boy, namely Fayiz, in his employer’s family. On December 24, 2006, while driving Fayiz, Rahim accidentally dislodged his breathing aid mechanism, causing Fayiz to become unconscious and eventually die.
Even as the incident was deemed accidental, Rahim was charged with murder under Saudi law and sentenced to death. The Riyadh court upheld the death sentence on appeal. The court later revised the verdict after the boy’s family agreed to accept blood money. Although his death sentence was commuted on July 2, his release remains delayed as the case concerning the public offence remains unresolved.
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