KOTTAYAM: The trial in the abduction and murder case of Kevin P. Joseph will begin soon with the Additional Sessions Court -IV here completing the framing of charges against all the 14 persons accused on Wednesday.
Judge K.G. Sanal Kumar found enough evidence to frame the charges of murder against the accused.
The sections charged are IPC 120 B, conspiracy to abduct, 449, breaking the house for an offence, 427, committing mischief at the house, 506(2) criminal intimidation, 323, causing hurt without weapon, 342, wrongful confinement, 364, abducting or kidnapping with an intention to commit murder, 364 A, abducting Kevin and Anish and keeping them in detention bargaining with their life for the release of Neenu Chacko and 302 for murder.
The court will consider the case on March 20 for scheduling of the final trial.
During the preliminary hearing, prosecution lawyer C.S. Ajayan had pointed out that the possibility of an accidental drowning should be ruled out as there was little chance for the victim, who knew swimming, to drown in waste-deep water in the stream. Instead, there was strong circumstantial evidence for homicidal drowning, as supported by the opinion of the forensic team of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
According to the prosecution case, a gang led by Shanu Chacko, brother of Kevin's fiancee Neenu Chacko, abducted Kevin from his relative Anish's residence at Mannanam to Thenmala on the night of May 28, 2018 and chased him to a stream at Chaliyakkara near Thenmala with an intention to kill him. The prosecution also produced about 180 documents, 176 witnesses, DNA test results, records of phone calls made by the accused and three vehicles as evidence in the case.
The court had earlier ordered to fast-track the trial so as
