5 more cases filed against Jolly Joseph based on alleged confessions to Crime Branch

The Crime Branch, which is investigating the Koodathayi murders, has decided to conduct an in-depth probe into the alleged murder of Cily - one among the six people from the Tom Thomas family who died mysteriously in Koodathayi in Kerala.

An FIR has been registered under sections 302 (murder) read with 34 of the IPC (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) in connection with Cily’s death, an officer at the Thamarassery police station told TNM.

“We have registered a case against prime suspect Jolly and Shaji - a man who is believed to have given the cyanide to her. Investigations have just begun but it seems like poison was applied in a pill which was given to Cily, following which she collapsed at the dental clinic,” the officer added.

Apart from this, the Kodencherry police have decided to register four more cases in connection with the other deaths. Jolly had allegedly confessed to giving cyanide to four of the deceased. She had also allegedly confessed to giving pesticide to her former mother-in-law Annamma Thomas - the first alleged victim who passed away mysteriously in 2002. Several reports quoting her alleged confession to the Crime Branch stated that she does not recall poisoning Alphine - the 2 year-old daughter of her current husband Shaju - who passed away in 2014.

“We have decided to register cases to probe the four deaths. Jolly’s confession made to the Crime Branch will also be included in this. The cases are registered in connection with the deaths of Annamma, Tom, Alphine and Mathew,” an officer added.

Five DYSPs have been charged with investigating the deaths of five of the family members. The investigating team will continue to focus on the death of Jolly’s first husband Roy Mathew. Postmortem was conducted only on Roy's body out of the six deceased. The postmortem report confirmed traces of cyanide in his body along with undigested food.

Jolly Jospeh, the prime suspect in the Koodathayi serial killings, is believed to have poisoned six members of her family including mother-in-law Annamma, father-in-law Tom Thomas, former husband Roy Thomas, uncle Mathew and Alphine and Cily - daughter and first wife of Jolly’s current husband Shaju Zacharias whom she married a year after Cily’s death. All six members are believed to have passed away with similar symptoms which included seizures, apnea and foaming in the mouth.