KOCHI: Ending all speculations, the Kochi City police on Monday arrested Cronin Alexander Baby, 26, in connection with the mysterious death of CA student Mishel Shaji Varghese.
The police recorded the arrest of Cronin, a distant relative of the victim, under Section-306 (abetment of suicide) of the IPC, after interrogating him for several hours at the Central police station.
“There is sufficient evidence to prove involvement of the accused in the case,” said CI Ananthalal, who heads the probe. Confirming that Mishel had committed suicide, the police said the accused admitted to have been in a relationship with her for around two years.
The probe team took Cronin into custody on Monday morning, along with another youth. They were booked based on the call details of the victim’s phone.
The other youth was released in the evening, while the accused was detained for further interrogation. It was found he had called her several times and sent text messages on March 4 and 5. “The victim’s close friends told us the accused used to call her frequently and follow her. The postmortem has confirmed suicide,” said a police officer.
It is suspected that Mishel committed suicide due to the mental agony caused by the youth’s persuasion to enter into a relationship with him.
Fatal decision
Mishel, who had been staying in a hostel at Kacheripady in the city, used to visit her home at Piravom on weekends. However, she stayed back at the hostel on March 5 to prepare for examination.
She had informed her family members she would visit St Antony’s Novena Church, Kaloor. When Mishel failed to return, the hostel authorities informed her parents, who in turn lodged a missing complaint with the Ernakulam Central police on March 6.
Later, Mishel’s body was found in the backwaters near the Ernakulam Wharf.