KOZHIKODE: Police have raided the Pulikkayam house of Shaju, the second husband of Koodathayil murder case accused Jolly. He has also been summoned to the Crime Branch office. Since yesterday Shaju has been under the close observation of the investigation team probing the case. Reports say he may also get arrested.

Meanwhile, Shaju told the police that Jolly had expressed her interest in him even before his wife Sili’s death. It was Jolly who first came up with the marriage proposal two months after Sili’s death.

All six deaths happened during the time span between 2002 and 2016. All deaths had similar charater. When retired teacher Annamma Thomas (57) collapsed and died in 2002, the family thought that it as a natural death. After six years, her husband Tom Thomas (66) died allegedly of heart failure.

In 2011, their son, Roy Thomas (40), died in a similar manner. The autopsy report revealed poisoning before death. In 2014, Annamma’s brother, Mathew Manjadiyil (67), died in a similar manner.

All four were buried in the cemetery of Lourde Matha Chuch Koodathai under the Thamarssery eparchy of Syro-Malabar Church. In 2016, their relative’s daughter, Alphonsa (2), died of a heart attack and within months her mother, Sili (27), too died.

After Roy’s widow, Jolly, married Sili’s widower Shaju, she claimed ownership of the family property with the support of the last will prepared by her father-in-law Tom. Many had opposed their marriage.

Tom’s younger son Mojo, an NRI based in the US, challenged the transfer of ownership of family property and lodged complaints with the Crime Branch regarding the serial deaths. It was then that steps were initiated to reopen the case.

Meanwhile, police’ presumption is that during the different phases of the murders, many had helped Jolly. 11 persons are under observation. Among them there are also persons who helped Jolly forge the Will.

The investigation team’s evaluation is that all 11 persons had palpable role in the murders. The probe has been directed towards the conspirators now; the police have also identified the persons who helped Jolly destroy the evidence.

Jewellery worker Mathew is another important link in the chain of murders. Preji Kumar, the arrested goldsmith, has told the police that he had given Mathew cyanide five times. He had asked for cyanide, saying that he wanted it for killing street dogs.

Police have now confirmed that Mathew was well aware of the facr that Jolly was using it for serial murders.