Pathanapuram: The families of four Keralites, who are facing capital punishment in Malaysia on drug-related charges, have received information that King Muhammad V has suspended the verdict and ordered a fresh probe.
Ranith from Pathanapuram in Kollam, Sadanandan from Chittar in Pathanamthitta, Aby Alex from Chathanthara and Sumesh Sudhakaran from Varkala had been sentenced to death under the country's strict laws designed to prevent drug trafficking. The four cleaning staff were arrested in 2013 during their duty hours, as narcotics were found at the office of the Mercury Plastic Company where they work, besides in their residence.
The Malaysian Supreme Court sentenced them on January 17 this year.
Their families had petitioned legislators and state and central governments seeking intervention, but such attempts proved futile. Finally the Gandhi Bhavan at Pathanapuram took up the case with the Satyasai Seva Sangham in Malaysia, whose leaders initiated legal proceedings to save the lives of the accused.
Malaysian Tamil possessed drugs
The four Keralites had arrived in Malaysia on May 3, 2013. The company used to transport them from their accommodation to the factory and back. On July 26, 2013, a police raid at their accommodation yielded narcotics from a Malaysian of Tamil descent, Nagarajan. Narcotics were also seized from their office.
The police arrested Aby Alex, Ranjith Raveendran, Sumesh Sudhakaran, Sajith Sadanandan, Sijo Thomas, Ratish Rajan, Muhammad Kabir Shafi and Malaysian Sargunan.
Sijo, Shafi and Ratish were later released. Families in Kerala came to know about the development as they travelled home.
Fresh probe crucial
The fresh probe that the King has ordered will prove to be crucial to the accused, though the verdict has been stayed. The panel appointed by the King will gather evidence and record statements from them. The court will reach a final verdict after examining these also.
The inquiry will be swift as dictated by Malaysian law.
The families of the accused are worried that the accused do not know the Malaysian language. They also point out that the company trapped their youth with a false promise of help. Some of the relatives are planning to fly to Malaysia for coordinating legal procedures.