KOCHI: Ernakulam District Crime Branch probing the death in a car accident of three including two female models when they were returning from a night party in the wee hours of November 1 on Friday questioned Kakkanad native Shaiju Thankachan who followed the accident victims in an Audi car just before the fatal accident.
Police also wound up the search for the hard disk containing CCTV footage of Hotel No 18 at Vembanad lake.
Miss South India Ansi Kabeer, former Miss Kerala first runner-up Anjana Shajan and Thrissur native Mohammad Ashiq were killed in the accident after the car in which they were travelling hit a motorcycle before crashing into a tree at Chakaraparambu near Vyttila. Mala native Abdul Rahman who was driving the car escaped with injuries.
During the probe, it was revealed that Shaiju driving an Audi car was chasing the Ford Figo car driven by Rahman and that the cars had stopped at Kundanoor where Rahman and Shaiju were involved in some talks. After the accident, the hard disk containing CCTV footage of the hotel was said to be disposed of at Vembanad lake.
"We had given a notice to Shaiju to appear for the interrogation. He turned up with his lawyers at Kalamassery Metro Police Station. Shaiju still maintains that he did not chase the car driven by Rahman. He had also attended the party in which the accident victims also took part. As Rahman was driving under the influence of alcohol, he advised him not to proceed further while they met at Kundanoor. He asked them to return to Hotel No 18 or will arrange to stay at hotels in Kundanoor," an official said.
Shaiju was also asked why he returned after reaching Edappally to which he maintained that he suspected that the car driven by Rahman might have met with an accident.
"He claimed, he was looking for the car driven by Rahman. As the car was not seen even after reaching Edappally, he returned and checked whether they met with an accident at the Vytilla area. He found the car Chakaraparambu and called the police. He also informed the accident to Roy J Vayalat the owner of No 18 Hotel where the party was held. He denied both the car chase and car race," an official said.
Earlier, Shaiju had approached Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail. During the hearing, the investigation team informed the court that Shaiju is not an accused in the case now. However, the investigation into his role in the accident is on.
"As Roy and five other hotel staff managed to get bail within one day of their arrest, any such further move will be made only after receiving concrete evidence anyone," an officer said.
Similarly, the police on Friday wound up the search for a hard disk at Vembanad lake. Even though the search was carried out for four days with the help of the India Coast Guard, Fire and Rescue Service and fishermen, the hard disk could not be traced. In these circumstances, Roy and his five staff involved in evidence destruction will be questioned again.
The investigators are suspicious about Roy's statement that on his advice, two of his staff threw the hard disk at the lake near Kanamkattu bridge.