Alappuzha police have moved a petition in the Juvenile Justice Board seeking escort movement of three juveniles accused in the murder of 65-year-old Sivankutty Chettiar. The police have completed the interrogation of the three boys and will question the 13-year-old girl, who allegedly plotted the murder, robbery and schemed the execution with her friends.

The special act doesn’t have a provision to release juveniles for the evidence collection process. Manu Kallampally, the prosecutor associated with the case told Onmanorama that relevant provisions under the BNSS will be invoked to facilitate the escort movement of three juveniles for evidence collection. The JJB will consider the petition and is likely to make a decision today.

During the interrogation over a period of two days, the juveniles have reportedly told the police about how they reached the house and what they stole. The police need to collect evidence based on this statement. However, stringent rules under the Juvenile Justice Act to protect the privacy of the accused juveniles require police to get special sanction from the JJB. A perfume bottle, cash, and jewellery are cited as evidence that the police have to recover. The auto driver who transported the accused from Haripad bus stand to the house of Chettiar has been identified.

The police also have to cross-verify the statements of the three boys with those of the girl. The police haven’t fully bought the claims of the accused that Chettiar misbehaved with the girl, following which she wanted to avenge him for the bad behaviour. The police have found that the girl had allegedly tried to steal money from the almarah hours before she got in touch with her friends. Chettiar saw her trying to steal money and told her off, which also provoked her, police said. The girl will have to be questioned to arrive at a definitive conclusion on the actual motive of the murder.

The investigation team has already communicated to the JJB that the juveniles aged between 16-18 shall be tried as adults. Chettiar was found dead in his house at Karuvatta in August. Police held his granddaughter and her three minor friends in connection with the case. The accused allegedly stole money and gold from the house after they had gagged Chettiar and beaten him.