The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Koodathayi serial murder case will on Wednesday file its first charge sheet before the Thamarassery Judicial First Class Magistrate Court.
The charge sheet in the murder of Roy Thomas was to be submitted on Tuesday. But it was deferred at the last moment to include additional details and rectify minor errors. Besides, the copies, including documentary running in hundreds of pages, have also to be submitted to the respondents as well.
Investigators have arraigned Jolly Joseph, 47, prime accused in the case. The Koodathayi serial murders pertain to the death of retired Education Department officer Tom Thomas and retired teacher Annamma Thomas; their son Roy Thomas; first husband of Jolly Joseph; Sily, wife of Shaju Zacharias, the second husband of Jolly; Sily’s two-year-old daughter Alphine; and Annamma’s brother-in-law Mathew Manjadiyil; under mysterious circumstances.
Jolly allegedly gave cyanide-laced food or drink to finish off two branches of the Ponnamattom ancestral family over a period of 14 years. Roy is the only person among the six family members on whom a post mortem was carried out. He had died on the night of September 30, 2011, after having his dinner. Jolly had then told relatives that he had died of a heart attack. However, the post mortem report confirmed traces of cyanide in the body at the time of death.
Jolly was arrested on October 5, 2019, after the police exhumed the mortal remains of the deceased family members. This was based on a complaint by Roji, who raised suspicion about the death of his parents, brother and relatives over a period.
Crime Branch Dy.SP R. Haridasan said the charge sheet would have to be filed within 90 days from the date of arrest of the accused in cases tried by a sessions court.
Jolly was arrested in five other murder cases as well. Two other key accused were M.S. Mathew aka Shaji and Prajikumar, who allegedly helped Jolly by supplying the cyanide.
Already the Director General of Prosecution had recommended N.K. Unnikrishnan, who was the prosecutor in Jisha case, to be appointed Special Prosecutor in the case, Mr. Haridasan said.
