KOCHI: The identity of the mysterious ‘Boss’ who allegedly instructed Ebin B Paul to carry out attacks across the country remains unknown, even as police intensify their interrogation of the 32-year-old in the Kadavumbhagam synagogue arson case.
Ebin was sent to five-day police custody on Thursday. An SIT led by Ernakulam CI Anish Joy under the supervision of DCP (law and order) Arun K Pavithran is interrogating him. Central agencies, including the NIA and IB, are also involved in the case.
Despite the recovery of chats and voice notes exchanged with ‘Boss’ in both Hindi and English, Ebin said he does not know the person’s identity, SIT sources said. He had been communicating with the person through a Telegram channel and receiving instructions to carry out the attacks.
Ebin told investigators that he acted on ‘Boss’s’ instructions and recorded video evidence for the person after putting up banners and flex boards at Blossom Nursery near the synagogue.
Meanwhile, the SIT has received mirror images of Ebin’s digital devices from forensic officials and is examining his chats, browsing history and shared media to trace his communications and establish the events leading to the arson.
Ebin is also being questioned about the contents. However, a detailed technical examination of the devices at the forensic laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram is still awaited.
Police are also examining whether Ebin was influenced by any ideology targeting Jewish places of worship.
Drug angle
Officials are also examining Ebin’s possible links to a separate case involving imported drugs following the seizure of 3.613g of W-Heroin, 2.736g of B-Heroin, 2.361g of oxycodone, 5.264g of fentanyl, 20.171g of alprazolam and 50.883g of ketamine, besides a substance described as K-rock. However, the drugs were not recovered from Ebin’s house in his presence, raising questions about the circumstances of the seizure.
Puthencruz police said a team from Ernakulam Central police station had visited their jurisdiction to inspect Ebin’s house but had not taken him along.
