Kerala beedi king Nisham gets life term for killing guard

The Thrissur Additional Sessions Court on Thursday sentenced controversial businessman Mohammed Nisham to life imprisonment and an additional 24-year jail for murdering Chandrabose, a security guard, at his residential complex.

While pronouncing the sentence, Additional Sessions Judge K P Sudheer also ordered Nisham to pay a fine of Rs 71.3 lakh, of which Rs 50 lakh will have to be paid to Jamanthi, the victim’s wife.

The court had, on Wednesday, found Nisham (39) guilty on seven counts under Sections 302, 326, 323, 324, 427, 449, and 506(1) of the IPC. The charges include murder and causing hurt by dangerous weapons. The court has also directed the prosecution to initiate procedures against Amal — Nisham’s wife and a witness — over providing false evidence.
Special Public Prosecutor C P Udayabhanu had argued that the case was “rarest of the rare” and sought capital punishment for the convicted businessman. The prosecution had also sought Rs 5 crore as compensation for the family of the deceased.

Capital punishment

Chandrabose’s wife Jamanthi said she was not satisfied with the sentencing. “We wanted him (Nisham) to get the maximum punishment. My husband did not get justice,” she told reporters.

The state government has formalised appointment of Jamanthi as a Lower Division typist in Oushadhi, a public sector company which produces Ayurveda medicines. The government is pursuing an appeal for capital punishment for Nisham. Trial in the case lasted 79 days.

On the night of January 29, 2015, Nisham had entered into an argument with the security guard at the entrance of the upscale residential township in Thrissur. Later, he drove his Hummer into Chandrabose, pinned him against a wall and violently assaulted him. The 50-year-old guard, who sustained serious injuries, died at a private hospital 18 days after the incident.

Nisham, one of the proprietors of the Tamil Nadu-based King Beedi Company, also has real estate interests and a fancy for imported cars. In April 2013, he was booked under Section 23 of the Juvenile Justice Act for letting his son — aged nine at the time — drive his Ferrari.

Two months later, he was arrested for misbehaving with a policewoman who was part of a team which intercepted his Rolls Royce for a check.