Police arrest man accused in triple murder case who jumped bail after 13 years

Kozhikode: Malappuram police arrested a man, who was on the run after being released on bail in a murder case 13 years ago, from Bengaluru. The arrested person Mohammed Shareef (46) from Areekode is accused of murdering his wife and two young children by pushing them into a waterlogged area on July 22, 2013.Shareef was presented before Manjeri additional district sessions court (2), which remanded him to judicial custody. The victims were Sabira (21), Fathima Fida (5) and Haifa alias Fathima Hida (1). According to police, the primary motive for the murder was Shareef's resentment over his wife's repeated demands for the return of 50 sovereigns of gold jewellery, part of the 75 sovereigns received as dowry, which he sold without her knowledge. Shareef's desire to remarry also fuelled the crime. He allegedly considered the two daughters a liability in acquiring more gold and money from a new marriage, leading to their murder. The incident occurred while they were returning home on a two-wheeler after buying new clothes. The investigation was led by S Abhilash, the then SP of Malappuram, and V A Krishnadas, the then CI of Manjeri. The investigation team questioned 123 people and submitted 106 documents and around 50 pieces of evidence in court. The case, lacking eyewitnesses, primarily relied on circumstantial evidence. The charge sheet highlighted several points, including the fact that Shareef undertook a long journey with his family on a bike despite owning a car, and he took a circuitous route to find a suitable location to commit the crime. Additionally, a few days prior, he took a 20 lakh rupee insurance policy in his wife's name, nominating himself as the beneficiary, and his claim that the bike's tyre puncture caused the accident was proven false. Reports from the Thiruvananthapuram meteorological centre, public works department's route map, forensic department's examination report, and motor vehicle department's report were also submitted with the charge sheet. High court had then expressed dissatisfaction with the delay in framing the charges. It ordered the lower court to resolve the case within six months. High court's directive came in response to a petition filed by murdered Sabira's father. Subsequently, the charges were framed against the accused in March 2015, and the trial was scheduled to begin on April 22. However, the accused absconded without appearing for the trial.