THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kochi City Police on Thursday collected evidence from various locations in the capital in the sensational blackmailing case. The police team led by Assistant Commissioner Rex Bobby Arvin collected evidence in the presence of Jayachandran, the fifth accused in the case.
The team which arrived here in the morning produced Jayachandran at the Vanchiyoor Police station. Around 11.45 am, he was taken to a private lodging at Vanchiyoor where he had stayed since 2012.
As the police could not find his mobile phone and laptop in the room, he was interrogated by the police during which he said they were in the custody of his friend Muthukrishnan alias Murthy. The team later visited Muthukrishnan’s rented house at Kunchuveedu Lane, Kaithamukku, from where the laptop was seized. The police said that Muthukrishnan, during an earlier interrogation, didn’t disclose that he was in possession of the laptop. “We will serve him a notice to be present in the Kochi City Police Commissioner’s office for further interrogation,” officials said. The investigation team is waiting for instructions from their superiors for collecting evidence from the MLA Hostel. “Collecting evidence from the MLA Hostel will be decided after consultations with higher officials,” Rex Bobby Arvin said.
The special investigation team probing the blackmailing case also took the statement of ex-MLA and Congress leader T Sarathchandra Prasad on Thursday.
Complaint Filed
The two women accused in the controversial blackmailing case have lodged a complaint with the Kerala State Human Rights Commission alleging physical, mental and sexual torture by Kochi City Police. The petition was handed over to the Commission by a youth and the Commission office said further steps will be taken after examining it. Bindya Thomas and Ruksana, the accused, alleged that Kochi DCP R Nishanthini asked them to give a false statement that they had sexual relationship with some former ministers, MPs, sons of politicians, film actors and industrialists.
The petition said Bindya was sexually harassed by an official at the Palarivattom police station on July 10. Two women civil police officers stood guard while the official harassed her on the third floor of the police station, the petition said.
Another allegation in the petition was that Sajikumar, the complainant in the case, manhandled them at the police station in the presence of officials. Nishanthini, assistant commissioner Rex Bobby Arvin, circle-inspector M C Santhosh and sub-inspector Ananthalal have been named in the petition for brutally torturing them.
The accused claimed they developed serious health problems and are now undergoing treatment. The matter was informed to the court as well, they said. The plea said the cops accepted a bribe of `35 lakh from Sajikumar. The accused said they had financial transactions with Sajikumar and the deceased Raveendran. Sajikumar and Raveendran had some disputes, they said.