The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Koodathayi serial murders submitted the chargesheet in the murder of Mathew Manchadiyil, the fourth victim in the incident, before the Thamarassery Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Monday.
The chargesheet, running into 2016 pages, was the fourth of the six sensational cases registered by the police in which the prime accused Jolly Joseph allegedly killed her six family members, including her first husband and his parents, after giving them cyanide-laced food or drink over a period of 14 years.
District Police Chief (Kozhikode Rural) K.G. Simon, who headed the SIT, said Jolly was suspected of killing Mathew by serving him liquor and water mixed with cyanide. “The incident took place on February 24, 2014. Mathew Manchadiyil was targeted as he had expressed doubt over the murder of Jolly’s first husband Roy Thomas and sought a post-mortem examination,” said Mr. Simon.
After the murder, the prime accused had circulated that the cause of death was cardiac arrest. Mathew Manchadiyil was the uncle of Jolly’s first husband. The chargesheet was submitted carrying the account of 178 witnesses. The Mathew Manchadiyil murder case was investigated by Koyilandy Circle Inspector K. Unnikrishnan.