Kochi Synagogue Arson Attack
Accused Ebin Paul sent to five days' police custody: Reports
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Special Investigation Team probing the arson attack outside the historic Kadavumbhagam Synagogue in Kochi market has secured five days of custody of main accused Ebin Paul.
The Ernakulam Judicial First-Class Magistrate Court II on Thursday remanded Ebin Pal to five days of SIT custody. During the proceedings, the defence told the court that the accused suffers from severe mental illness and depression and is undergoing regular psychiatric treatment.
Highlighting his medical history, the defence sought permission for Ebin to continue taking his prescribed medicines without interruption while in custody. The court directed the probe team to ensure that he receives the necessary medical care and medication during the custody period.
The court also ordered the police to submit a status report on his medical condition and the necessity of his custody every 48 hours of his detention.
Sources said that the immediate priority of the probe team is to retrieve and analyse digital evidence to establish the alleged attack's wider network and identify those who may have directed it.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Ernakulam Central) Sibi Tom, who heads the SIT, told media that the five-day custody would primarily focus on extracting digital evidence and questioning the accused about his communications and financial transactions.
"We will examine in detail his fund transactions, trace the CCTV collections, analyse his chats, tweets and communications retrieved from his mobile phone," a senior cop said.
The probe team have already seized electronic devices including Ebin's smartphones and a laptop, and sent them to the state forensic science laboratory for data retrieval and forensic mirroring. After the exercise, the team will prepare a detailed questionnaire to grill the accused with evidence and establish the identity of those who allegedy operated behind the scenes.
The scope of the investigation has been widened to look into the larger conspiracy angle and possible terror links. As per the evidence collected so far and the preliminary interrogation, Ebin reportedly acted on the instructions of an unidentified handler whom he referred to as "Boss".
The incident According to police, Ebin reached the Ernakulam market area in a blue Marti Ignis, parked some distance away and walked toward the synagogue carrying a fuel can. He then poured petrol in the front portion of the Blossom plant nursery - run by the synagogue's managing trustee and set fire to flex boards and banners , before fleeing the scene of crime.