The Kerala High Court on Monday refused to interfere with the trial court’s decision to frame charges against Jollyamma Joseph, also known as Jolly, who is the prime accused in the Koodathayi cyanide murders.

The Koodathayi cyanide murders refer to the mysterious deaths of six persons (all of whom were related to the accused) in Koodathayi in Kozhikode district.

Three of the persons alleged to have been murdered by Jolly through cyanide poisoning were her then husband Roy Thomas and his parents.

The present plea of Jolly pertained to the murder of Roy Thomas alone.

Hearing the plea of Jolly, the single judge dismissed the plea filed by Jolly challenging the order of the trial court to adjourn framing of charges against her.

Jolly and Roy Thomas had married in 1997 and were residing together with Roy’s parents at Koodathai.

Jolly was supposedly in an extra-marital relationship with another man whom she convinced to get cyanide for her.

She is alleged to have mixed the cyanide in the food that Roy was eating with the intention to kill him.

On September 30, 2011, Jolly’s husband felt sick after eating, was hospitalised and subsequently passed away.

At the time, Jolly informed the relatives that Roy had died because of a heart attack.

The FIR (first information report) then was forwarded to the Sessions Court and further investigation was closed supposedly because there was no suspicion of murder.

However, some other family members were suspicious and the investigation was reopened in 2019.

The investigating agency that reopened the probe decided to exhume the bodies of the deceased, including Roy.

With scientific examination indicating foul play, the police arrested Jolly in October 2019, along with two other accused persons.

(This article has been published via a syndicated feed with a modified headline)