Kozhikode: A day after Rajith Kumar (45), who was questioned by the Crime Branch in connection with the case related to Kozhikode-based real estate broker and businessman Attoor Mohammed, aka Mami, went missing, police located him along with his wife Thushara in Guruvayur on Friday. The couple checked into the hotel on Thursday, and they were found having lunch. They will be brought to Kozhikode later.

Nadakkavu police have registered a case and begun a search for the missing couple following a complaint filed by Thushara's brother. Rajith Kumar, former driver of Mami was questioned by the police many times in connection to Mami's disappearance.

Crime Branch, the current investigating agency, questioned him twice recently. Thushara's mobile phone was seized and sent for forensic test and both of them were asked to appear for another round of questioning.

Mami went missing from Kozhikode on August 21, 2023. Rajith Kumar, Mami's wife and a businessman, were the three people who were contacted by Mami before he was reported missing. His last mobile location was recorded at Thalakkulathur, a place near Atholi in Kozhikode. Later, the police found out that Rajith was also present in the same location on the same day.

Rajith was a faithful friend of Mami. According to Mami's family members, Rajith took up a job with Mami as his driver thirty years ago, and since then, he has closely associated with him. ''As per the then investigating team from the Nadakkavu police, Rajith and Mami were within the same mobile tower location on August 21 & 22, 2023," said Mami's sister Ramla Attoor.

The Crime Branch officials said that they questioned Rajith Kumar multiple times and also his wife on January 7. "We questioned Rajith Kumar 2-3 times in connection with the disappearance of Mami. On January 7, we summoned his wife Thushara and she appeared before our team for questioning. She came along with Rajith Kumar," said U Preman, DYSP, Crime Branch.

The family of Mami and the action council had expressed reservations over the special investigation team formed by the then ADGP MR Ajith Kumar to probe the case. In September 2024, the investigation was handed over to the Crime Branch.