A police team left for Tamil Nadu on Friday to investigate the murder of Paul Muthoot George, executive director of the Muthoot M. George Group, on the Alappuzha-Changanassery road on Saturday last.
The police are taking with them Manu, who was injured in the attack, to cross-check reports and the statement made by Paul’s driver Shibu.
According to Shibu, Paul, accompanied by Om Prakash and Puthenpalam Rajesh, both of whom have criminal records, and Manu had visited Tiruchirapalli, Madurai, Kodaikanal and Puducherry before reaching Ernakulam on August 21, the day before he was killed.
Paul was stabbed to death following an altercation with a gang of hired goons on the Alappuzha-Changanassery road. Twelve persons have been arrested in connection with the murder.
The police had recovered from the car toll passes issued in Dindigul and Kodaikanal municipalities mentioning the registration number of the car that Paul was travelling in just before the murder, bills and payment receipts of hotels in Tiruchirapalli and Madurai in the name of C.A. Unni of Gowreesapattom, Thiruvananthapuram.
The police are also trying to verify reports that Paul and his friends had visited Kumily and Thekkady and spent some time on a houseboat in Alappuzha.
Though Manu could play a major role in the investigation, his statements during interrogation have been contradictory, police said. Manu had first said that he met Paul only on August 21. But he changed his version later when asked about the trips to Tamil Nadu.
Manu, who operates a rent-a-car business in Thiruvananthapuram, had also stated initially that he was alone with Paul in the car.
This was changed after the presence of Om Prakash and Rajesh was confirmed by the police.
