KOCHI: Rony Thomas (32) from Angamaly Mookkannoor, Anilan (32) from Thrissur Mupliyam and TM Sudheer (42) from Paravur Moothakunnam, the first, third and eighth accused in the murder case of Vythiri Jungle Park Resort owner Abdul Karim, was acquitted by the trial court. A division bench comprising Justice PB Suresh Kumar and Justice CS Sudha acquitted them as the prosecution failed to prove the charges against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt.

Abdul Karim was killed on February 11, 2006 at around 10:30 pm. The case is that Abdul Karim, who was on his way to Kozhikode in a Qualis car with the driver, was stopped by the accused in a car at the 9th hairpin bend of Thamarassery pass and attacked and killed him. The police found that Babu Varghese, the seventh defendant in the case and Abdul Karim's partner, had conspired with the sixth defendant, Joseph alias Jose, and gave a quotation to the gang. When the charge sheet was issued, not all the accused in the case were arrested and hence the trial was conducted by dividing the charge sheet. The Vadakara District Additional Sessions Court sentenced Rony, Anilan and Sudhir to life imprisonment and acquitted three other accused including Joseph. Babu Varghese died during the trial and four accused were absconding. The High Court had considered the appeals filed by Roni against the sentence.