Thamarassery, Kozhikode: The legal noose is tightening around Jolly Joseph, the prime suspect in the Koodathayi serial killings, one after the another over the chilling crimes she had owned up to in the course of an intensive probe by the Kerala Police. She is set to be booked for another murder, the fourth, allegedly committed by her. The Thamarassery magistrate court has given the nod to arrest the 47-year-old over the murder of Mathew Manjadiyil, one of her suspected victims.
Mathew was killed on April 24, 2014. Jolly had told the cops that she had mixed cyanide in alcohol to kill Mathew, the maternal uncle of her first husband Roy Thomas, another victim.
Likely motive
The police suspect that Jolly had killed Mathew after he raised suspicions over Roy's death and objected to the family assets being given to her. It was also alleged that Jolly had forged a fake will to grab the property of Roy's father, Tom Thomas.
Along with Jolly, the police had also arrested a kin, M S Mathew, and a goldsmith Prajikumar in the Roy Thomas’ murder case.
Mathew Manjadiyil is the paternal uncle of M S Mathew.
Jolly was initially arrested in October for killing Roy. During interrogation, Jolly reportedly confessed to killing six members of her husband’s family one after the other by giving them poison-laced food or drink. The family is based at Koodathai in Kerala's Kozhikode district.
Jolly was subsequently booked for the death of Sily, the wife of Roy’s first cousin Shaju. Jolly had married Shaju after Sily’s death. Jolly was then arrested for the murder of Alphine, the young daughter of Sily and Shaju.
In all the three previously registered murder cases, the police had secured her custody for the purpose of interrogation. However, the police still need to collect information on the six murders, each of which has been filed as a separate case.
Police tactics
Jolly's arrest is being recorded in a new case – on Mathew Manjadiyil murder – to bypass the technical obstacle in gaining her custody over the first three cases – that of Roy, Sily and Alphine. The other two murder cases for which she is yet to be booked are that of Roy's parents Tom Thomas and Annamma Thomas.
After her custody period ends in the Alphine murder case, Jolly would be taken to jail on Monday evening. The cops plan to arrest her in the new case the next day.
Confidential statement of kin recorded
The confidential statement of one of Roy's relatives was recorded at the Kunnamangalam magistrate court on Saturday. P H Joseph is the son of Tom Thomas' father's brother.
Joseph had accompanied Jolly, when she went to meet an advocate in Kozhikode, a day before the graves of the victims were opened by the cops.
Joseph had told the cops that Jolly had confessed to committing the six murders to the advocate. The police then gave in a request to record his confidential statement.
As per Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the statements are recorded before the magistrate during the probe period itself to avoid back-tracking from these during the trial.
Joseph was also the complainant in the case registered at the Kodenchery police station in 2011 over Roy Thomas' death. The police had filed a case of unnatural death based on his statement.
After checking the post-mortem report, the cops had summoned Joseph and informed him that cyanide had caused Roy's death. The police then suspected that Roy had committed suicide.
Joseph told the current probe team that he did not reveal the cause of the death then after some relatives, including Jolly, said that this would bring disgrace to the family.
Remand period extended
The remand period of all the three accused in the Roy Thomas' murder case has been extended till November 16. Second accused M S Mathew, and third accused Prajikumar were presented in court on Saturday. The cops also informed the court that first accused Jolly Joseph was in the police custody over the Alphine murder case.
The court also gave permission for accused Prajikumar to meet his mother, who is undergoing treatment at the Beach Hospital in Kozhikode.
The court would consider the plea, seeking to verify the signature and handwriting of Jolly Joseph the next day. These are being checked in connection with the probe into the alleged forging of fake will. As Jolly was not presented in court on Saturday, this plea was postponed.
