Kochi Blast Case: Kerala Court Grants Police 10-Days Custody Of Accused

Kerala’s Kochi court on Monday has granted the police 10 days custody of Dominic Martin, an accused in the Kochi bomb blast case.

Principal Session Court Judge Honey M Varghese allowed police’s plea for 10-days custody of Dominic Martin.

In the case, 4 people were killed and over 50 were injured in the blast during a prayer meeting of the Jehovah’s Witnesses at a convention center in Kalamassery near here on October 29.

The police submitted that they need to investigate his sources of income, international connections, and other connected matters.

They also stated that the accused must be taken to certain locations for further collection of evidence.

Meanwhile, Martin once again declined that the assistance of a legal aid lawyer.

Previously, on October 31, Martin was remanded to judicial custody.

In addition to Section 302 of the IPC (Punishment for murder) and Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act, relevant sections of the UAPA have also been invoked against the accused.

Furthermore, the police formally recorded Martin’s arrest as he surrendered a few hours after the blasts on October 29.

A few hours prior to surrendering, Martin, who claimed to be an estranged member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, posted a video on social media explaining his reasons for carrying out the blasts.