Kollam: Punalur First Class Magistrate Judge Asha Maryam Mathews on Thursday granted Soorya, the fourth accused in the Uthra murder case, permission to travel abroad in search of employment subject to strict conditions. Soorya is the sister of Sooraj, the prime accused in the murder case.
In her plea, Soorya, an MBA graduate, argued that her father is bedridden due to paralysis and that she is unable to find employment in the country due to the ongoing case. She requested the court to allow her to obtain a passport and seek work abroad.
Despite objections from the prosecution, the court allowed Soorya’s request, imposing strict conditions such as providing proof of employment, details of her residence abroad, and information about her employer. Soorya was also exempted from appearing in court during the trial. Advocate Anees Thangalkunju represented her in the matter.
In 2021, Kollam Additional Sessions Court awarded double life sentence besides 17 years of imprisonment to Sooraj for murdering his wife using a cobra. Uthra, a 25-year-old differently-abled woman, died from a cobra bite at her home in Anchal in 2020, just weeks after surviving a viper bite. Her family suspected foul play, leading to a police investigation that uncovered a conspiracy, with her husband Sooraj being charged with her murder. In addition to Sooraj, his father Surendra Panicker, mother Renuka, and sister Soorya are also accused in a related dowry harassment case.
