Kozhikode: Kerala Police's Crime Branch arrested a history-sheeter hiding in the UAE for 18 years and wanted for the attempt to murder a journalist and his friend in Kozhikode in 2005.

The accused, Abdul Rahiman, was living in the UAE under a new identity as Khamis Othman al Hammadi Otham, said Crime Branch Superintendent of Police P Vikram. Otham was arrested on his arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on Friday, said the officer.

The case dates back to 2005 when Shamsudheen ran a tabloid called The Criminal. On July 15, a van with three men, including Abdul Rahiman, rammed into a motorcycle driven by Basheer, with Shamsudheen as the pillion rider, on KP Chandran Road in Kozhikode's Kasaba. After the crash, the attackers hacked both men with swords. Though Shamsudheen was the target, Basheer suffered more severe injuries, said police

Nadakavu police in Kozhikode arrested the three accused. But Abdul Rahiman, also known as 'Arabi' Abdul Rahiman, the main accused, later jumped bail and went into hiding. Police said the attack was a hit job after Shamsudheen wrote a scathing report about a businessman.

A year later in 2006, the Crime Branch took over the case but did not make much progress. Around 2020, the Crime Branch learned that Abdul Rahiman got a new passport and was living in the UAE as Khamis Othman al Hammadi Otham.

The Crime Branch sought the help of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which liaises with Interpol, to issue a Red Corner Notice for Otham.

The Interpol Red Corner Notice was issued on February 17, 2020. "We were almost ready to pick him up but Covid-19 struck and he got a breather," said an officer in Kozhikode Crime Branch.
Now, the CBI facilitated Abdul Rahiman's return to India from the UAE.

On his return, the Immigration officers detained him. Crime Branch Detective Inspector Vinesh Kumar P V and sub-inspector Suku M K reached Delhi and arrested Rahiman.