The revision petition filed by the accused in the Elanthoor human sacrifice case against the trial court order releasing them to police custody was dismissed by the Kerala High Court.
Dismissing the petition, Justice Kauser Edappagath noted on Friday that the gruesome murder of two women allegedly as part of human sacrifice for financial gain had shocked the people of the State. Muhammed Shafi, Bhagaval Singh, and his wife Laila are the accused in the case.
The High Court observed that the trial court, which dismissed the plea of the accused, had passed the order with great care and caution.
The investigating officer, who sought the custody of the accused, had mentioned 22 specific areas where a thorough investigation had to be conducted considering the peculiar nature of the case. The trial court had considered those aspects while allowing the custody of the accused, the court observed.
The court granted permission for the accused to meet their lawyer on alternate days. The investigating officer shall permit the petitioners to meet their lawyer for 15 minutes from 5 p.m. to 5.15 p.m. in his presence. The presence of the lawyer cannot be allowed during the interrogation of the accused in police custody, the court directed.
