The Aluva First Class Judicial Magistrate Court on Tuesday gave the District-C Branch probing the death of law student Mofia Parveen three days’ custody of the three accused in the case.
Her husband Muhammed Suhail and parents Rukhiya Yousuf and Yousuf Said Muhammed were arrested for charges under Sections 304B (dowry death), 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 306 (abetment of suicide) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
A team led by investigation officer V. Rajeev is interrogating the accused. “We will record their statements extensively and then verify it with their relatives. We would also take them to their home for evidence collection,” said investigation sources.
The husband has surrendered his mobile phone, which the investigators will examine thoroughly . It may also be subjected to forensic examination to retrieve deleted data. The marriage documents of the couple may also be verified.
The court had previously turned down their bail applications in the face of stringent opposition by the prosecution. The police remain confident that the three days’ custody will be enough to tie up the loose ends, if any.
The woman was found hanging at her house in Edayapuram in Aluva last week leaving behind a note that accused her husband and in-laws of domestic violence and dowry-related harassment and the then inspector of Aluva East police station C.L. Sudheer of rude behaviour. The inspector was since then suspended pending inquiry and a First Information Report was registered against him following an intense protest launched by the opposition who clashed with the police and turned Aluva town into a battlefield last week.
The death of the youngster had triggered an avalanche of protests with multiple agencies, including the State Human Rights Commission and Women’s Commission intervening in the matter.