KOCHI: The probe into the case of death by suicide of 21-year-old law student Mofiya Parveen in her house following the alleged domestic violence by her husband and family and the misbehaviour by the Aluva East police station house officer has been handed over to the crime branch. Ernakulam Rural district police chief K Karthick decided to hand over the investigation to the crime branch cell after the local police drew flak from several quarters.
Crime branch DySP V Rajeev will head the investigation which will mainly look into the reasons that led to the suicide. A special team has also been constituted under the DySP. “In her suicide note, the girl noted that she had undergone physical and mental torture from her husband and in-laws. They had also allegedly portrayed her as a mentally ill person. The allegations raised by the girl will be investigated,” said an officer.
He also added that the allegation of Mofiya’s father that her husband, Muhammed Suhail, had demanded Rs 40 lakh in dowry will be investigated. “Suhail’s family allegedly threatened that he would opt for another marriage. They had also sent a divorce notice through courier. This will be investigated,” said the officer.
However, the officer refused to comment on whether the crime branch would launch an investigation into find the alleged lapses of SHO C L Sudheer who has been transferred from the station. Earlier, the police had given a clean chit to the officer, citing that he had only committed a “minor mistake”. Meanwhile, the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court on Thursday sent Suhail and his parents, Yusuf and Rukia, who were arrested from Kothamangalam on Wednesday, to judicial custody for 14 days.
While Rukia was sent to Kakkanad sub-jail, the other two were sent to Muvattupuzha special sub-jail.
Though the police wanted to present them before the magistrate on Wednesday, the protest by UDF supporters delayed it. The police will now submit an application seeking seven days of their police custody.