It was a case that has generated much social media uproar in Kerala, an investigation which was closely watched by people of the state.
The Crime Branch team which has been probing the death of Mishel Shaji, a 19-year-old aspiring Chartered Accountant hailing from Ernakulam, told the Kerala High Court that it was a case of suicide.
Crime Branch DySP George Cheriyan submitted the affidavit in the court on Thursday. Mishel was found dead in the backwaters near Kochi Wharf on March 6 this year.
The affidavit said that the investigation was in the last phase and report will be submitted soon. The investigating team had sent the laptops and the sim cards used by Mishel and Cronin Alexander Baby, the accused in the case for forensic examination. As per the affidavit the investigation has found that Cronin had mentally harassed Mishel which led to her suicide, Mathrubhumi daily reports.
The affidavit also said that a department level probe was on against the police personnel in Ernakulam Women's Police Station, Town North Police Station and Central Police Station for delay in registering the missing complaint.
Mishel's father had moved the Court seeking CBI enquiry in the case saying there is an unsolved mystery in his daughter's death.
The post mortem report prepared by Dr Meena KS Professor and Head of Department of Forensic Medicine Government College Ernaklam did not mention any signs of sexual assault.
The police had arrested Cronin, who was working in Chattisgarh, on charges of abetting the suicide, days after Mishel's death.
According to the police, Cronin sent messages to Mishel on March 4. Mishel and Cronin had been in a relationship but Mishel was not keen to go ahead with it. Her decision had angered Cronin, the police had said.
However, Mishel's family had rejected the police version from the beginning and was firm on their stand that there was a conspiracy behind the death.
Mishel was a resident of Elanji in Ernakulam. She used to live in a hostel in Kacheripady in Kochi for attending coaching classes for the qualifying exam for Chartered Accountancy in Palarivattom.