The remand order on five of the accused in the Paul Muthoot George murder case was extended to October 6 here on Tuesday.
Ramankary Judicial First Class Magistrate, Subitha Chirakkal, extended the remand of Jayachandran, Sattar, Kaari Satheesh, Sujith and Binu.
The five were among those arrested within a week of the murder, which took place on August 22. The court also decided to pronounce on Wednesday its decision on a petition filed by T.M. Subhash, an Alappuzha-based advocate, who had submitted that the investigation in the case was not moving in the right direction and that the magistrate should directly monitor the investigation.
Mr. Subhash had submitted that there were earlier instances of similar monitoring by the court in such sensational cases and that such monitoring would enable the court to point out to the police whenever
there were evident inconsistencies or drawbacks in the investigation, and thus ensure justice in the case.
Meanwhile, the Alappuzha Sessions Court will take up on Wednesday the hearing on a bail petition filed by Kaari Satheesh, who had earlier confessed to have stabbed Paul.
In other developments related to the case, there were reports that Abby, a resident of Mannancherry who allegedly hired the gang led by Jayachandran to “protect” him from a business rival, was in police
custody along with a friend, Sulfi. Abby was absconding since the murder.
Though a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity that Abby was in police custody, there was no arrest recorded officially on Tuesday.
A police team from Muhamma had earlier visited Delhi after reports that Abby was holed in the national capital. However, according to police sources, the team found that Abby was in Chalakudy after they questioned his relatives last week. It is not known yet whether Abby surrendered or whether he was traced and arrested by the police.
