14-day custody for Tirunelveli murder accused

S Karthikeyan (39) alias Karthik, son of the Adi Dravida wing State deputy secretary in the DMK, S.Seeniammal, who was nabbed by a special police team on Sunday night-six days after the triple murder-was formally arrested based on his confession on Tuesday night. He was then produced before Judicial Magistrate V. Tirunelveli P.S.A. Nishanthini at her house in the wee hours of Wednesday, who remanded him in judicial custody. He was later lodged in the Central Prison at Palayamkottai.

The investigating officials recovered a bag containing a pair of gold studs, six bangles, a chain, a bracelet and four rings weighing 25 sovereigns, and a knife used for committing the crime from the house of Karthikeyan at Shanthi Nagar here last night. Uma Maheswari (65), her husband Murugasankaran (74) and their housemaid Mari were found murdered in the house at Rose Nagar in Tirunelveli city on July 23.

Karthikeyan allegedly committed the triple murder over political enmity between his mother Seeniammal and Uma Maheswari, who was also a senior DMK leader.

Director General of Police J K Tripathy on Monday ordered the transfer of the triple murder case to the Crime Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) wing considering its sensitivity. The CB-CID police are expected to file an application before the JM court soon seeking the custody of Karthikeyan for further investigation in the case, as the cops suspect the involvement of contract killers hired by the prime accused.