The Supreme Court stayed the release of Jollyamma Joseph, accused in Kerala's sensational Koodathayi murders. Jolly Joseph (48) is accused of murdering six people in a family over 14 years, including her husband, Roy Thomas.
The apex court gave this order while hearing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the Kerala government against a High Court order which granted her bail. An SLP gives the Supreme Court the authority to give special permission to an aggrieved party against an order passed by a lower court or tribunal. "Leave granted. There shall be stay of release from custody of the respondent," read the order passed by the bench comprising Justices Mohan M Shantanagoudar and Vineet Saran.
Jolly's relative MS Mathew, his friend Prajikumar and a local CPI (M) leader Manoj Kumar have been named second, third and fourth accused in the case respectively. The murders happened by administering cyanide to the victims. Mathew and Prajikumar are accused of procuring cynaide for Jolly, while Manoj Kumar allegedly helped her create a fake will.
Jolly, according to the prosecution, acquired a prescription for the poisonous 'DOG KILL' from Government Veterinary Hospital at Kozhikode in the name of Jolly Devagiri. It also said that she purchased the poison from the dealer named 'Dynavet' at Kozhikode.
The High Court, while granting bail to Jolly, had observed that the case is based on an alleged extra judicial confession .
The Special Investigation Team that probed the case submitted the charge sheet in January 2020. The then Rural Superintendent of Police Kozhikode KG Simon led the team.
According to the police, Roy Thomas was killed on September 30, 2011. According to the police, Jolly added cyanide in Roy's water and the chickpea curry she had cooked for dinner.
Others who were allegedly killed by Jolly are Jolly's second husband Shaju's daughter Alphine, Shaju's first wife Sili, Roy's uncle Mathew Manchadiyil, his mother Annamma Thomas and father Tom Thomas.