The Perumbavoor Magistrate Court in the Ernakulam district has sent all three accused in the Kerala human sacrifice case to nine days of police custody. The officials said that police sought ten days but were allowed only nine days.
Earlier, all three accused persons approached the Kerala High Court challenging the order of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court of Ernakulam granting 12 days of police custody. They sought to set aside the order granting police custody.
They also sought permission to meet their lawyer during the time of interrogation while also seeking direction not to allow the release of the details of their confession statement through the media.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court has dismissed the plea but granted them to meet their lawyer on every alternate day for 15 minutes, but not at the time of interrogation. While dismissing the petition, the court observed that “the gruesome murder of two women, purportedly for human sacrifice, has shocked the people of Kerala.”
The court also observed that the lower court had passed the order granting custody with great care and caution and had read the 22 points which were mentioned by the lower court in the order.
In the petition, they sought to set aside the order granting police custody. They also sought permission to meet their lawyer during the time of interrogation and also sought to not be allowed to release the details of the confession statement of the accused through the media.
Muhammed Shafi, Bhagaval Singh, and Laila approached the High Court. On 13 October, the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court sent all three accused to police custody till 24 October.
Earlier on 19 October, Kerala Police launched an extensive search operation to recover the anklet of one of the two deceased women, Padma, in the human sacrifice case, according to the police.
The police conducted the search at the place shown by prime accused Muhammed Shafi at the Alappuzha-Changanssery canal in the Alappuzha district.
The anklets were made of silver, which was allegedly thrown away by Shafi.
