The Crime Branch probing the alleged suicide of Chavara native Athulya Sekhar in Sharjah has its task cut out in building a case against the accused Satheesh S, her husband, considering some of the observations by the Kollam Principal Sessions court. The court, which granted him interim anticipatory bail, took note of the fact that the Dubai police have exonerated the petitioner and that in the death certificate of Athulya issued by the Consulate General of India, Dubai, the cause of death was noted as 'suicide by hanging'. 

Principal Sessions judge N V Raju observed in the order that if the petitioner had committed any offence, he would have been arrested by the Dubai police. "It is pertinent to note that no offence of abetment of suicide against the petitioner (Satheesh) has been made out. The police have no information other than what is stated by Athulya's mother. Arresting Satheesh without having a preliminary assessment of the facts of the case will be unjustified," the court noted.

According to the judge, the police have to first verify all the details, including the photos and videos claimed by Athulya's mother and that everything must be subjected to a scientific investigation. Satheesh had told the court that Athulya got disturbed when she realised that he had gone to a distant place, and she was agitated without sufficient reason and sent old photos and videos to her mother. 

Satheesh's counsel told the court that the investigation by the Dubai police was over and they did not find anything showing that Satheesh committed any offence against Athulya. Satheesh said in the petition that there was only minor and occasional discord between him and Athulya. 

Chavara Thekkumbhagam police filed a case against Satheesh on charges of murder, voluntarily causing hurt and dowry harassment based on the complaint filed by Athulya's mother, Thulasi Bhai. In her complaint, she said that Athulya was mentally and physically tortured by Satheesh in the flat in Dubai, and two days before her death, he hit her head with a plate, kicked her, grabbed her by the neck and assaulted her. They had given Satheesh a dowry of 43 sovereigns of gold jewellery and a two-wheeler at the time of marriage. 

According to Thulasi Bhai, Athulya contacted her on July 18, a day before she was found hanging in the apartment and told her that she planned to take up a job the next day and was going to meet her sister to purchase a dress. "She made a video call and she was happy," Thulasi Bhai said in the statement. On July 19, Thulasi Bhai noticed voice messages and photos on her phone sent by Athulya showing marks of assault by Satheesh. When she tried calling her, Satheesh answered the phone and asked her to call later. Later, the co-brother of Satheesh, called Thulasi Bhai, and told her that Athulya died by hanging. 

A senior official with the Crime Branch said that although the Dubai police have exonerated him, the investigation will focus on assault marks on Athulya's body, which were revealed in the autopsy. There are factors, such as what caused these marks and who was responsible, that need to be determined, an official said. Satheesh, who lost his job in Dubai, returned to Kerala on Sunday, and he was arrested at Thiruvananthapuram International airport. The Kollam District Crime Branch recorded his statement and released him on bail.