KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday refused to intervene in a trial court order that denied permission to Jollyamma Joseph, alias Jolly Joseph, the prime accused in the sensational Koodathayi serial murder case, to visit the crime scene along with her new lawyer.
Jolly is accused of murdering six of her family members, including her first husband, Roy Thomas, by administering cyanide, allegedly to gain control over the family’s assets.
The three persons alleged to have been murdered by Jolly through cyanide poisoning were her then husband, Roy Thomas, and his parents.
Her trial is currently underway before the Additional District Court (Special Court for Trial of Maradu Cases) in Kozhikode and is in its final stages.
Justice V.G. Arun, while dismissing Jolly’s petition challenging the trial court’s decision, observed that the proceedings were at a “fag end” with 124 prosecution witnesses already examined.
Jolly’s new counsel argued that her previous lawyer had recently passed away, and the current defence team required a visit to the scene of the occurrence to prepare an effective defence.
The counsel maintained that such an inspection was essential to ensure a fair trial.
However, the prosecution countered that all relevant documents, including the scene mahazar, had already been handed over to the defence and that witnesses had been cross-examined on the basis of these materials.