The Kevin murder case (Kottayam, kerala) is taking an interesting turn with two witnesses Alan (27th witness) and Sulaiman (98th witness) have changed their statement.
Kottayam: Two witnesses in the Kevin murder case have turned hostile. The trial of the same had begun at the Kottayam Principal Sessions Court, Kerala on April 24.
Alan, the 27th witness and Sulaiman, the 98th witness in the case are the ones who changed their statements. Earlier, Alan had said before the court that all the accused except Chacko (father of Neenu) filled petrol from Punalur Nellipally petrol pump, Kollam, after which, they perpetrated the crime on the scheduled premises of the pump. But then, he changed his statement in the court on Thursday (May 16)
Sulaiman had said before the court that he had seen Neenu's relatives retrieve the phone from the eighth accused Nishad's house. Like Alan, he also had changed his statement.
Earlier, five witnesses had changed their statement before the court. According to sources, it is said that this change of statement won't affect the case.
Neenu, wife of Kevin, gave her statement on May 2. Neenu was in tears when she mentioned at the court that it was a case of honour killing.
Neenu's statement was against her father Chacko, an acquaintance of Niyas, and police officer Shibu. Neenu said at the court that her father was against her relationship with Kevin because he belonged to a backward caste. Neenu said that her father repeatedly spoke of how their family's prestige was at stake if Neenu married Kevin.
The wife also added that her father and brother were the reason for Kevin's death and she has the responsibility to take care of Kevin's parents, and thus she is staying with Kevin's family. She then said that police officer Shibu had attacked Kevin and forced her to go with her father. Neenu added that the police officer forcefully made her write on paper that she was willingly going with her parents.
Neenu said that Niyas had threatened her several times while stating that she wouldn't be allowed to be with Kevin. In May last year, Kevin P Joseph, the 23-year-old, was brutally butchered by a gang of 14 for allegedly marrying 20-year-old Neenu, who is from a wealthy family in Kerala.
Earlier on April 24, the main witness in the case, Aneesh, gave his statement in court and identified the seven accused among the 14.
All accused in the case allegedly came dressed in white to confuse the witnesses on April 24. Hence, witness Aneesh failed to identify Neenu’s father. Therefore, Neenu's statement proves to be crucial in this case.
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