Key witness in Kevin Joseph murder case turns hostile

Kottayam: Abin Pradeep, a key witness in the murder of Kevin in Kottayam, turned hostile during the final hearing of the case at the Principal Sessions Court here on Monday.

During the day, the prosecution examined Benny Joseph, Biju Abraham and Abin Pradeep, the sixth, seventh and eighth witnesses respectively.

While Abin maintained that he was forced to give a secret statement against the accused under duress, the other two stood firm on their earlier statements.

Earlier, Abin had given a confidential statement in the Changanassery Magistrate Court under CrPC Section 164, admitting that the accused had sought his help in kidnapping Kevin.

Though he was not part of the kidnap gang, Abin had also confessed to aiding the tenth accused to hide the machete in his possession after the crime.

During the hearing, he, however, changed his stance and gave a new statement denying any knowledge of Kevin's abduction. Following this, the prosecution requested the court to declare him as hostile.

Meanwhile, Biju Abraham identified twelve of the accused including the first accused Shyanu Chacko, who had come to his wayside eatery near Gandhinagar hours ahead of the kidnap.

Benny Joseph, the proprietor of the hostel where Kevin's wife Neenu had been staying, told the court that a relative of Aneesh Sebastian -- the first witness in the case, had come to his hostel and informed about the kidnap.

The person, identified as Santosh, had also said that Kevin could be released only upon returning Neenu to her relatives.

As per prosecution case, a gang led by Shanu Chacko, brother of Neenu, abducted Kevin from his rented house at Gandhi Nagar to Thenmala on May 28 night and chased him to a stream in Chaliyakkara near Thenmala to kill him.

There are 14 defendants in the case.