Kochi/ Thiruvananthapuram: Prakash Thambi, former programme coordinator of violinist Balabhaskar, has claimed that there was no mystery shrouding the musician’s death in a car accident. Prakash Thambi is also an accused in a gold smuggling case.
"Balabhaskar's death was accidental. Arjun drove the car. There is no link between Balabhaskar's death and gold smuggling. There is no
mystery,” he told reporters.
Prakash alleges torture
Prakash Thambi has alleged that he was physically tortured by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers to give the statements. He made the allegations against the DRI officers at the Ernakulam Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offence). His remand period has been extended till June 26 and sent to Kakkanad district jail thereafter.
Crime Branch collects information from DRI
Meanwhile, the Crime Branch team probing the violinist’s death has collected information from the DRI officers probing the gold smuggling case. The probe into the violinist's death was intensified after the DRI arrested Prakash Thambi with 25kg of gold at the Thiruvananthapuram airport in May.
The Crime Branch collected information about the sources of income of Prakash Thambi and Vishnu, who are accused in gold smuggling case and acquaintances of Balabhaskar.
Talks are also on in the Crime Branch team on whether the case pertaining to Balabhaskar's financial dealings should be handed over to the DRI. The Crime Branch has given a letter to the DRI in this regard.
Forensic results on the car accident would be made available in a week. The probe officers have also collected information and phone call records of the witnesses. The officers are in the final stage of collecting phone call records of five people, including Balabhaskar.
Balabhaskar’s car had met with an accident at Pallipuram in Thiruvananthapuram on September 25, 2018. His toddler daughter was killed on the spot, while Balabhaskar died later at the hospital. Balabhaskar’s wife Lakshmi and driver Arjun escaped with injuries.
A KSRTC bus driver, C Aji, had told the cops that he saw Balabhaskar on the driver's seat on the fateful day. The police have not taken his statements at face value. However, his statement that an Innova was following Balabhaskar's car would be checked upon.
The Crime Branch would also take confidential statements of the witnesses in the case. Statements of the rescue personnel at Pallipuram, and the man running a juice shop at Pallimukku would be taken by a magistrate, officers said.
