The Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the District Crime Branch to probe the Koodathayi serial murder case has begun a separate inquiry into the suspicious financial transactions and land deals by Jolly Shaju, the prime suspect in the case.
Around 20 persons identified by the investigating team will be interrogated to trace Jolly’s financial sources as she had reportedly claimed to have a monthly income of over ₹30,000.
Details of all her bank transactions and the amount paid to buy a flat at Kunnamangalam will be examined in the first phase.
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The Crime Branch team’s preliminary finding that she had maintained a close relationship with a BSNL employee for meeting her financial needs would be re-examined and the bank transactions of that person too would be collected.
Searches held
On Sunday, the SIT searched the house and shop of a local political party leader who allegedly maintained a close relationship with Jolly. During the search, documents, including a ration card issued in Jolly’s name, were recovered.
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Crime Branch sources said Jolly was suspected of receiving unlawful support from a revenue official to get her late father-in-law’s property registered in her name using a forged will.
Some local panchayat officials were also suspected to be involved in the deals and the Crime Branch has found that a few files related to it were missing from the panchayat office.
Probe against official
Revenue Department sources said an internal investigation too was on against the officer to figure out her suspected involvement in approving the forged will. Disciplinary action would be recommended against the official if there was enough evidence, they said.
The financial fraud alleged by the family of M. Ramakrishnan, a native of Kunnamangalam, too would be investigated by the squad. The family members had claimed that the man had some financial deals with Jolly and that he died in mysterious circumstances.
The owners of a local beauty parlour too had links with Jolly, they said.