Lulu’s Yusuffali pays Rs 1 cr blood money to save Indian man on death row

Mangalore Today News Network

Dubai, Jun 04, 2021:     Becks Krishnan, an Indian national in the United Arab Emirates, was on death row after he was found guilty of killing a Sudanese boy in a road accident in 2012. However, today, the 45-year-old Indian is a free man and is preparing to return to his hometown in Kerala after Yusuffali MA, the chairman of Lulu Group, paid compensation or ‘blood money” of nearly Rs 1 crore to the family of the young boy.

 

The UAE Supreme Court had sentenced Becks Krishnan to death after he was found guilty of killing the young boy when he rammed his car into a group of children in September 2012. CCTV footage from the area reportedly corroborated the crime. Since then, Becks Krishnan’s family and friends have been trying to secure his release without any success. The victim’s family had already left UAE and relocated back to Sudan, putting an end to any discussion or pardon.

The Krishnan family then approached Yusuff Ali, who went about getting the details of the case and got in touch with all stakeholders. Ultimately in January 2021, the victim’s family in Sudan agreed to pardon Krishnan. Subsequently, Yusuffali paid 500,000 Dirhams (Rs one crore approximately) as compensation in the court to secure the man’s release, the Lulu group said in a statement.

Speaking to the Indian embassy officials in Al Watba Jail in Abu Dhabi, a highly emotional Becks Krishnan could not believe the turn of events. “It’s a re-birth for me, as I had lost all hope of seeing the outside world, let alone a free life. My only wish now is to see Yusuffali once before flying to my family," Becks Krishnan was quoted as saying in the statement.

When asked for his comments, Yusuffali simply thanked the almighty for the release of Krishnan and the benevolence of visionary rulers of the UAE. He wished Becks Krishnan a happy and peaceful life ahead.

All legal procedures related to Becks Krishnan’s release were completed on June 3 and he is expected to travel back to his hometown in Kerala soon, a senior official of the Lulu Group told PTI over the phone.

Incidentally, this is not the first time that the prominent NRI businessman and philanthropist is paying the compensation amount to secure the release of an Indian national abroad. In 2019, Yusuffali had paid one million dirhams (Rs 1.99 crore) to secure the release of Kerala politician Thushar Vellappally from Ajman jail in the UAE. Thushar Vellappally, the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary, was arrested in Ajman in connection with a cheating case, wherein a cheque (of 10 million Dhirham) he had issued to a construction form had bounced.

Courtesy:The News Minute