Koodathayi case: Bid to derail probe as trial nears, alleges chief investigator

Koodathayi case: Bid to derail probe as trial nears, alleges chief investigator
Jolly Joseph, the prime accused in the Koodathayi serial killings, in police custody. File photo: Manorama

Kozhikode: Attempts are being made to scuttle the probe into the sensational Koodathayi serial murder case during trial, Pathanamthitta district police chief K G Simon, who led the investigation team, said in his confidential report to the Director General of Police (DGP) of Kerala.

Government pleaders also took part in a meet held to scuttle the case, as per the senior cop's report.

Six members of a family at Koodathayi in Kerala's Kozhikode district were found dead under mysterious circumstances from 2002 and 2016. The police had arrested Jolly Joseph, the wife of one of the victims Roy Thomas, over the deaths last year.

Jolly is also accused of forging a fake will of her father-in-law Tom Thomas. The mystery deaths and the arrest of Jolly had hit the headlines across India and abroad. The police had probed the deaths based on a relative’s complaint.

(Jolly's alleged victims were Tom Thomas of Ponnamattom house, 66, his wife Annamma Thomas, 57, son Roy Thomas, 40, Tom's brother's daughterin-law Sily Shaju, 44, her two-year-old daughter Alphine, and Annamma's brother Mathew Manjadiyil, 68.)

The report said that as the trial into the murders of Roy Thomas and Sily, two of the dead, were set to begin next month, such a move to derail the case needs to be viewed seriously.

Advocates riled?

According to Simon’s report, some advocates were also behind the fake messages being circulated against the probe team. They were allegedly provoked as an advocate, who attested the fake will, was named as accused; while another advocate from whom prime accused Jolly took legal advice was included in the witness’ list.

They were also disappointed as certain people, who were believed to be named as accused, were let off, the report said.

Earlier, there were also reports that Roy Thomas' relatives were not satisfied with the police investigation and that they would approach the High Court, seeking a CBI probe.

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