Kerala beedi baron gets life imprisonment for killing guard

Kerala beedi baron Mohammed Nisham, convicted for killing a security guard in a fit of rage by ramming his luxury Hummer, was today ordered by a court to undergo 39 years of imprisonment and asked to pay up a fine of Rs 80.30 lakh.

In a 150-page judgement, First Additional District and Sessions judge K P Sudheer pronounced the verdict sentencing 40-year-old Nisham to life imprisonment besides an additional 24 years imprisonment for various offences under IPC.

"He is likely to be behind the bars for 39 years," Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) C P Udayabhanu told PTI later. Nisham, whose business earnings are reportedly worth over Rs 5000 crore, was composed when the verdict was pronounced. He was later taken to the Kannur central jail.

Arguing that it was a rarest of rare case, the prosecution had demanded death sentence for the convict and a compensation of Rs five crore to the deceased guard's family, which the court has turned down.

The court had yesterday found him guilty for the brutal manner in which the 51-year-old security guard Chandrabose was beaten up and mowed to death on January 29 last year.

The judge also directed that the deceased guard's wife Jamanthi be paid Rs 50 lakh from the fine amount and asked the prosecution to launch proceedings against Nisham's wife Amal, a witness who had turned hostile in the case.

Udayabhanu said Nisham will have to undergo life imprisonment under IPC section 302 (murder) and an additional 24 years under various sections of the IPC, including 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 427 (committing mischief).

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, said the government was not satisfied with the verdict and was contemplating filing an appeal. "Discussions are being held with the Director General of Prosecution (DGP)," he said.

Unhappy with the judgment, Jamanthi, the deceased guard's wife said "we have not got the justice we expected. Nisham will be happy in jail no matter how many years he is behind the bars."

"Jail and house is the same for Nisham who is getting all facilities in the jail," she charged. The family was not interested in the fine amount, she added.

A weeping Ambujakshi, Chandrabose's mother, said "we feel the accused should have been given death sentence. But we are grateful to all officials and the prosecution for bringing the case to this level."

Nisham, who was in an "inebriated" state, had assaulted Chandrabose (51) and later rammed his luxury vehicle against him in the early hours of January 29 last.

He was irked over the delay in the guard opening  the main gates of a posh residential complex 'Shobha city'  here.

The severely injured guard, treated in a hospital with ventilator support, died on February 16. The case had evoked widespread protests across the state. There are at least over 10 cases, including roughing up of a woman Sub-Inspector, against Nisham in various courts.

He had at first grabbed media attention in April 2013 when he allowed his nine year-old son to drive a Ferrari F 430 Scuderia and then uploaded the video on YouTube, following which a case was registered against him for abetting underage driving and violating Motor Vehicles Act.

Meanwhile, government today issued an order appointing Jamanthi as a typist at 'Oushadi', Pharmaceutical Corporation Kerala Ltd, a state-owned Ayurvedic medicine manufacturing company situated at Kuttanellur in Thrissur.

The government had earlier announced that she would be given employment. Chandrabose was the sole breadwinner of the family, consisting of his aged mother, wife, a daughter who is an engineering student and son--a 10th standard student.