Mofiya Parveen suicide: Five months on, family demands CBI probe to unravel mystery

KOCHI: While the investigation into the reasons behind the suicide of 21-year-old law student Mofiya Parveen is moving at a snail’s pace even after five months, her family has raised allegations that the key accused is attempting to influence witnesses. Her parents have demanded a CBI inquiry to unravel the mystery behind the death. Mofiya -- who was found hanging at her house in Edayapuram on November 22 -- took the extreme step allegedly following harassment by her husband and family, and misbehaviour by the then Aluva East police station house officer. 

The family members said the investigation by Ernakulam Rural police crime branch DySP V Rajeev has failed to find any evidence corroborating her suicide note. “We demand a CBI inquiry as we have lost trust in the crime branch probe. We will not get justice from the police. Though I have complained that the key accused, Mofiya’s husband Muhammed Suhail, was attempting to influence the witnesses, the police have not taken any action,” said her father, Dilshad Salim.

The police have recovered the mobile phone used by Mofiya. “Whenever I inquire about the probe, the officers are repeating the same thing -- inquiry is under way,” Dilshad said. The crime branch is mainly looking into the reasons that led to the suicide. Suhail and his parents, Yusuf and Rukia, were arrested from Kothamangalam last November, and later released on bail. They were booked under IPC sections 304B (dowry death), 498A (cruelty to woman) and 306 (abetment of suicide).

“Suhail has no work. But he was leading a luxurious life. I suspect he has links to some illegal outfits. So the source of his and his family’s income should be investigated. These matters can be brought to light only by a CBI probe. I will approach the High Court seeking the same,” said Dilshad.

Though the immediate trigger for Mofiya’s suicide was the alleged misbehaviour of former Aluva East station house officer C L Sudheer, whose name was mentioned in her suicide note, the department-level probe has failed to find any evidence against the officer. The investigation by Kochi City Police ACP Francis Shelby is still under way.