New turning point in Jasna missing case; Inmate of Poojappura jail hands over vital information to CBI

KOTTAYAM: A new turning point in the disappearance of Jasna Mariya James, a second year B Com student of St Dominic College, Kanjirapally, who went missing from her home at Ranni in Pathanamthitta on March 22, 2018. The CBI received a statement about Jasna, who went missing from Erumeli in Kottayam. A POCSO case accused lodged in Poojappura Central Jail gave a crucial information to the CBI.

His statement is that an accused in a theft case, who was with him in the cell, knew about Jasna's disappearance. The prisoner in Poojapura Jail told the investigating team that the accused, a native of Pathanamthitta, told him. The accused, released from jail in a theft case, has gone hiding.

Jasna Mariya James (20) is daughter of James Joseph of Vechoochira Kollamula Kunnath. Jasna went to her relative's house in Mundakkayam on the day she went missing but was never seen again. The local police first and then a team led by the IG conducted an investigation, but she could not be found. The CCTV footages showed Jasna going to Erumeli.

Following the protests, the crime branch took over the case and started an investigation. Investigations were conducted in Bengaluru, Pune, Goa and Chennai. More than 4,000 phone calls were subjected for examination. The DGP had also announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for the informers of Jasna. Her classmate was interrogated several times but could not find anything. There were reports that Jasna was seen in many places, but nothing was found true in the investigation conducted.

The case was handed over to the CBI after the Christian Alliance and Social Action approached the high court stating that there was no progress in the investigation. The Thiruvananthapuram unit of the CBI is investigating the case.