No evidence against Sathish for murder; crime branch takes action in death of  Athulya

KOLLAM: The crime branch said no murder charge will be imposed against Sathish Shankar, husband of Athulya of Kollam, who committed suicide in Sharjah. The investigation team has informed that the charge of abetment to suicide will remain. The Kollam Principal Sessions Court had also earlier said that the charge of murder will not remain. The court made this observation after the prosecution was unable to find sufficient evidence to charge Sathish with murder.

The family had alleged that Sathish was behind her death. The Thekkumbhagam police, which initially investigated the case, had charged Sathish with murder. The crime branch, which took over the case later, continued the investigation by charging him with murder. The crime branch had approached the court at one stage of the case, with a request to cancel Sathish’s anticipatory bail plea.

There is prima facie evidence for the charge of abetment to suicide. Videos of Sathish torturing Athulya physically and mentally had emerged. The crime branch has also collected Athulya’s audio messages sent to her relatives. Efforts are also underway to collect more evidence from Sharjah. The crime branch will soon present the report on inclusion of new sections to the court.

Athulya was found hanging at her flat in Sharjah on July 19. Athulya had been working in Sharjah for a few years. She died when she was about to take up a new job. Sathish was a site engineer in a company in Sharjah. He was terminated from his job after his wife’s death. The couple got married 11 years ago.