Riyadh/Kozhikode, Sep 22 The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has dismissed the prosecution’s appeal seeking a harsher sentence for Abdul Rahim, a Kozhikode native serving a prison term in connection with the 2006 murder of a teenager.
The verdict on Sunday upheld the lower court’s ruling and cleared the way for Rahim’s release, according to the Rahim Legal Aid Committee.
The Committee, which has been coordinating with the Indian and Saudi authorities, said the release is expected by May next year once the remaining procedural formalities are completed.
“We express our deep gratitude to the Government of India, Saudi authorities, and all individuals who provided legal and diplomatic support,” said a committee member coordinating the efforts for his release.
Abdul Rahim, a resident of Kerala's Kozhikode, was arrested in November 2006 in connection with the killing of Saudi national Anas Al Fayiz. In 2012, a Saudi court sentenced him to death.
However, under private rights, the death sentence was annulled a year ago after the victim’s family accepted blood money amounting to 15 million Saudi Riyals (approximately Rs 34 crore) and granted a pardon.
Despite this settlement, Rahim remained in prison due to public rights provisions, which had prolonged his incarceration.
Over the past year, the case has seen 13 hearings to determine the final course of action.
The 20-year prison sentence imposed on him will formally conclude in December 2026.
Legal experts said the Supreme Court’s ruling removes the last legal barrier to Rahim’s release.
With no further actions pending against him, authorities can now initiate procedures to complete the remaining formalities for his discharge from prison.
The case had drawn attention in both India and Saudi Arabia due to the combination of private settlement and public rights issues, highlighting the complexities of criminal justice procedures in cross-national cases.
The verdict has been welcomed by the Rahim Legal Aid Committee as a significant step toward concluding a nearly two-decade-long legal ordeal.
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