A Kerala court on Tuesday remanded Kochi bomb blast accused Dominic Martin to judicial custody till November 29. Martin was arrested in connection with the blasts at Kerala’s Kalamasserry in which five people were killed including a 12-year-old girl. The accused was produced back in court before 11 am on Wednesday.
To the court’s surprise, Dominic Martin again refused any legal help on being produced in the court. Earlier, the court told the accused that he could seek legal aid at any point if he wished. Martin also has huge praise for DCP Sasidharan, ACP Rajkumar and Kalamassery C.I. Vibin Das. He thanked them for their behaviour.
According to the police, the accused is highly intelligent and hardworking. “He has a highly paid job. He was not brainwashed,” they said.
Earlier, police took the accused Dominic Martin to his residence in Athani, Ernakulam, and recreated the scene as part of their probe into the multiple explosions incident to collect more evidence in the case. The Kerala Police had said that the blast was caused by a remote-controlled Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The incident claimed the lives of three people and over 50 sustained injuries. Police said that Martin has been charged under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) and Explosive Substances Act.
According to the police, the accused also has the bills for the items purchased for the IED blast. Wherever Dominic purchased the goods, he made videos in those places. Kochi Police had arrested Martin after the blasts based on a self-made confession video posted on Facebook claiming responsibility for the blasts at the Zamra International Convention Centre in Kalamassery where over 2,000 followers of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian sect, had gathered for a prayer meeting earlier in the month. Following the incidents, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced a 20-member probe team to investigate the matter.
The Cabinet also decided to grant financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each from the Chief Minister’s Redress Relief Fund to the families of those who died in the blast that took place in Kalamassery on October 29. Medical expenses of those undergoing treatment including in private hospitals will also be covered by the state.
