Accused refuses polygraph test

Kochi: The special investigation team probing the Skeleton in drum case suffered a set-back on Wednesday when Aswathy, daughter of Shakunthala whose skeleton was found inside a barrel recovered from Kumbalam lake, refused before a court to undergo polygraph test as demanded by the cops.

“She told the Ernakulam Principal Sessions court that she was not willing to undergo polygraph test. The consent of the suspect is needed for conducting the lie test,” sources said.

Earlier, Aswathy had given her consent to the investigation team to undergo the test. She also moved the court seeking an anticipatory bail plea which got rejected.

During probe, cops have found that Shakunthala was murdered by one T M Sajith, a native of Eroor who had committed suicide soon after recovery of the skeleton. They suspect Sajith and Aswathy, his lover, to be members of a goon’s gang based in Thiruvankulam and might have eyed the nearly Rs six lakh Shakunthala had in her bank account.

However, during interrogation Aswathy reiterated that she had only worked at the tailor shop of the gang head, a woman, and that she knew nothing more.