A month after Chavara native Athulya Shekhar, 29, was found dead in her apartment in Sharjah, Kerala police on Sunday held her husband  Satheesh, 40, the sole accused in the case at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. Satheesh was then handed over to the Kollam District Crime Branch, which recorded his statement and released him on bail.

Satheesh had earlier obtained anticipatory bail from the District Court. The Thekkumbhagam police have registered a case against him on charges of murder, cruelty, voluntarily causing hurt and under relevant sections of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The Home Department has handed over the probe to the State Crime Branch.

The Principal Sessions Court, Kollam, granted him interim anticipatory bail on the condition that, in the event of arrest, he shall be released on executing a bond of ₹2 lakhs with two solvent sureties for the sum and that he shall fully cooperate with the investigation. 

The parents of Athulya had filed a complaint with the police alleging Satheesh of harassment and physical abuse, and the police registered a case. Her mortal remains were repatriated on July 19, and a postmortem was held at Parippally Medical College.

According to reports, Sharjah police authorities have deemed it as a case of suicide. Her parents have said that she was subjected to frequent abuse, and they had often persuaded her to leave Satheesh. In response, Satheesh has said that he was not responsible for her death, even while admitting that he had physically assaulted and abused her. Athulya was found hanging in her apartment on July 19.