Kozhikode: Renji Thomas, sister-in-law of the prime accused in the Koodathayi serial murder case Jolly Joseph, felt that the case was unravelled because of 'hand of God'.
Six members of a family – including Roy (Jolly's husband and Renji's brother), his parents, and three others - were allegedly fed cyanide-laced food by Jolly in a likely bid to get hold of the property. Each one died under mysterious circumstances in a span of 14 years – from 2002 to 2016.
There was no suspicion about any of the deaths earlier, Renji said. Foul play was suspected after a part of the family property was allegedly grabbed by Jolly using a fake will. Following this, Rojo, Renji's other brother who is settled in the United States, filed a complaint to the police urging them to inquire the case.
"I used to consider Jolly as my elder sister. She was friendly with all in the family,” she said.
Renji said even for her father, Jolly was the model daughter-in-law who took care of him after her mother's death. “Everyone had only good things to tell about her,” she said.
Renji claimed that she escaped Jolly's murder attempt. She said Jolly had given her an ayurvedic tonic and she felt sick after drinking it. “I drank a lot of water and felt better,” she recounted.
The remains of the deceased were exhumed last Friday.
44-year-old Jolly had woven a web of lies, describing herself as a lecturer at the prestigious National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kozhikode. The claim was found to be false.
She used to leave the house everyday morning in a car, saying she was going to the NIT and had also made a fake identity card, police said. “It is good that Jolly has been arrested. It is suspected that she had plotted more murders,” Kozhikode SP KG Simon said.
Jolly confessed to the chilling crime soon after her arrest on Saturday. Her aides MS Mathew (Shaji) and Praju Kumar were also arrested. The Thamarassery first-class judicial magistrate court remanded the three accused for two weeks. A plea, seeking their police custody, would be considered on Wednesday.
