KOCHI: The unexpected ‘U-turn’ by Ameerul Islam, the accused in the sensational Jisha murder case, naming his friend Anarul Islam as the killer, is interpreted by investigators as a last-ditch attempt to divert the course of inquiry.
Ameerul, a migrant worker hailing from Assam, in his statement given before the Ernakulam District Principal Sessions Court on Monday had said that Jisha was killed by his friend Anarul. He gave the statement while the court was considering his bail plea. Interestingly, in his two earlier bail pleas, Ameerul had not mentioned about Anarul, who according to investigators does not exist.
Even when he was produced before the court after being arrested in July, Ameerul was silent about his ‘mysterious’ fried. As per statements given by Ameerul’s roommates Sujal and Ujwal, Ameerul neither had such a friend, nor did anyone with that name worked with him.
Though there was a migrant labourer with the name Anarul, who resided at Vallam in Perumbavoor, he had relocated to Assam six months before the gruesome murder. His call details traced by the investigators also suggest that he has been staying in the Nagaon district of Assam since January 15. A team led by Crime Branch SP P K Madhu, who is part of the Special Investigation Team, had visited Assam and stayed there for a few days to interrogate Anarul Islam.
Earlier, Ameerul told the investigators that he had consumed alcohol along with Anarul at his rented residence in Perumbavoor, before visiting Jisha and killing her with a stolen knife. After that, he reportedly left for Assam on Vivek Express along with Anarul.
Jisha’s neighbour Sreelekha, Ameerul’s second wife Kanchana, her son Rubel Shaikh, Ameerul’s mother Khadeeja, father Niyamudheen and brother Badarul Islam are the other witnesses in the case.
DNA samples match
Giving a new twist to the controversy over the fatherhood of Jisha, the chargesheet stated that the DNA samples of Jisha and her father Pappu matched. Earlier, UDF convener P P Thankachan’s name had dragged into the case saying that he was the real father of Jisha, triggering a political controversy in the State.