Responding to a summons issued by Kollam District and Session Judge Ashok Menon in connection with the Reshmi murder case, authorities of the district jail, Kakkanad, produced solar-scam accused Biju Radhakrishnan before the court on Thursday morning.
Biju Radhakrishnan’s mother Rajammal, co-accused in the case, was also produced before the court from the Kottarakara sub jail.
Biju along with Rajammal has been charged with murdering Reshmi, wife of Biju, at Kottarakara in February 2006 by the Kollam Crime Branch CID.
On being produced before the court, their counsel sought permission for executing the vakalat and to talk to Biju for 20 minutes and the court granted permission for both.
After formalities, the court adjourned the case to November 5 for preliminary hearing and framing of charges.
The Kerala High Court had issued a directive that the case trial should be completed within five months of commencement of the trial. The High Court had issued the directive while rejecting a bail plea of Biju.
Special Public Prosecutor for the case G. Mohanraj and investigating officer C.G. Suresh Kumar were present in the court.
The Crime Branch had on September 2 filed a 506-page charge sheet against Biju and Rajammal. One of the main witnesses in the case is Reshmi’s elder son, who is a minor.
Rajammal, who had earlier obtained bail in the murder case, was arrested last week on charges of forgery for arranging fake sureties for Biju to obtain bail in the case registered by the Kottarakara police soon after Reshmi’s death.
That case had been registered under Section 498 A of the Indian Penal Code on the charge of harassing Reshmi.
On the basis of the fake sureties, Biju had obtained bail in the case from the Kottarakara Magistrate Court. After Biju’s arrest in June this year, the Crime Branch had brought the matter to the attention of the Kottarakara court. The court directed the Kottarakara police to investigate the matter, following which Rajammal was arrested last week.
After the court formalities, Biju was taken back to the Kakkanad jail and Rajammal to the Kottarakara jail.