Thamarassery: The prime accused in the Koodathai murders, Jolly Joseph, who is busy facing interrogators and making court appearances while in custody has now to settle clearly who should be her lawyer and on what terms. Her comments at the Thamarassery magistrate court suggests that she likely signed up Advocate B A Aloor to take up her case in a hurry.
"I had signed the power of attorney thinking that the advocate was offering free legal advice," Jolly told reporters on the court premises. "I don't believe that my relatives had approached Aloor to appear for me in the case."
Meanwhile, local lawyers have decided to file a complaint against Aloor claiming that he misled Jolly while taking up her case.
It is for the court to offer free legal advice to an accused, they stated.
The complaint could be filed at the Thamarassery Bar Council.
A dispute raged over Jolly's suit at the court on Saturday. Lawyers of the Bar Association objected to Jolly's counsels by arguing there is no clarity as to whom Jolly chose to represent her.
Jolly and two other accused – M S Mathew and Prajikumar – were presented in the court on Friday after their police custody was over. On the magistrate's query whether they have to say anything, both Jolly and Prajikumar replied in the negative. M S Mathew, however, told the magistrate that he had mental distress.
The magistrate allowed the lawyers to speak to the accused. After the court adjourned for the day, Mathew's lawyer spoke to him in the presence of the police.
Prajikumar also spoke to his wife.
Though Aloor’s junior wanted to speak to Jolly without police presence, it was not allowed.
Both Mathew and Prajikumar have been booked over their role in arranging cyanide for Jolly. It is alleged five of the six murders attributed to Jolly were caused by cyanide poisoning.
Jolly was arrested earlier this month over the murder of her first husband Roy Thomas at the Ponnamattom House in Koodathayi village. She had then allegedly confessed to killing other five members of his family, including his parents.
Her alleged murders happened between 2002 and 2016. As the revelations shocked Kerala, it was earlier reported that lawyers in the state were reluctant to take up her case.
It was earlier reported that Jolly who had been responding to cops' questions well initially is reportedly now not cooperating with the interrogation. The police team suspects that Jolly started turning uncooperative after receiving advise from her lawyers whom she had met at the court on Wednesday.
