The Medical College police on Sunday (June 28, 2026) arrested the fifth suspect in the case related to the kidnap and murder of Hemachandran, a Kozhikode-based businessman and a native of Sulthan Bathery, over some alleged financial deals.
According to the police, Leeba, 41, a native of Ulikkal, Kannur, was arrested from the Calicut International Airport at Karipur in Malappuram district. The police had earlier issued a lookout notice against her. The investigation team is expected to seek Leeba’s custody for questioning soon.
According to the police, the murder took place during an attempt to lure Hemachandran into a honey trap and extort money. It was Leeba who had called Hemachandran. He was kidnapped, killed and buried in the Cherambadi forest in Tamil Nadu. At present, five suspects in the case have been arrested. Noushad, Jyotish, Ajesh, and Welbin Mathew are the others arrested earlier. They are currently in judicial custody.
Hemachandran was reportedly abducted from his rented house in Kozhikode in March 2024. His wife had filed a complaint with the Medical College police, saying Hemachandran had been missing since March 20, 2024. In June, the police recovered his body from a forest area in Cherambadi, Tamil Nadu. DNA testing confirmed that the deceased was Hemachandran. A scientific investigation established that the death was a murder, and not a suicide.
Noushad, the main suspect, had claimed through a Facebook video from abroad that it was a case of suicide and when he saw the body, he and his friends buried it. Noushad had also sought a re-postmortem. However, the investigation team rejected Noushad’s claims and said in the charge sheet submitted to the Kundamangalam Judicial First Class Court that the murder was committed under the leadership of Noushad. He was detained by the police at the Bengaluru airport after his return from abroad.
Published – June 28, 2026 08:00 pm IST