Riyadh court cleared Abdul Rahman Punnoth of murder charges before authorities completed his deportation to India
An Indian national from Kerala has returned home after spending nearly nine years in prison in Saudi Arabia, following his acquittal in a murder case that had remained tied up in lengthy legal proceedings. The case drew support from members of the Indian community in the Gulf, who worked for years to secure his release.
Abdul Rahman Punnoth, a native of Kozhikode district, was deported to India after a Riyadh court found him not guilty of the murder of a Pakistani worker. He had been employed as a labourer in Riyadh since 2003.
The case dates back to April 2006, when Sabir Khan, a watchman at a company warehouse, was found dead. According to reports, Punnoth had visited the warehouse with several Bangladeshi nationals seeking to purchase scrap material. When he returned the following day, he discovered Khan’s body and informed both his employer and the police. Despite reporting the incident, he was later arrested during the investigation.
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Although cleared of the murder charge, Punnoth had earlier been convicted in a separate case linked to the theft of scrap cables allegedly carried out by the Bangladeshi nationals
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In 2010, he was sentenced to four years in prison and 400 lashes for his alleged involvement. Other suspects were also prosecuted, while some reportedly remained at large.
Members of the Riyadh-based Indian Fraternity Forum (IFF) pursued the matter with Saudi authorities over several years, seeking a resolution to the case. Court proceedings were delayed repeatedly, partly because the victim’s family did not provide the necessary legal authorisation for representation during the trial. Once the court acquitted Punnoth of murder, Saudi authorities completed his exit formalities after clearance from his sponsor, enabling his return to India.
