Shimjitha K, who was detained in relation to the suicide of 41-year-old Deepak U from Govindapuram, Kozhikode, had her bail request denied by the Kunnamangalam Judicial First-Class Magistrate Court on Tuesday.
The accused in the case of Deepak, a resident of Govindapuram in Kozhikode, who committed suicide after an allegedly defamatory video went viral on social media, Shimjitha Musthafa of Muttungal in Vadakara, was granted bail on Tuesday.
On January 24, the bail plea arguments were concluded. Since the police have not requested custodial interrogation, Shimjitha, who is presently being held at the Manjeri jail, will remain in detention. Shimjitha’s attorney, meanwhile, stated that a bail application would be submitted to the district court shortly and that they would petition the higher court for bail.
The prosecution’s claims were upheld by the Kunnamangalam First Class Judicial Magistrate Court, which denied Shimjitha’s bail request. Shimjitha is being held in remand detention on allegations of aiding and abetting suicide.
The court’s ruling came after a police remand report that suggested Deepak may have committed suicide as a result of footage the accused shared on social media. Shortly after a video purportedly showing him arguing with Shimjitha, his fellow passenger on a KSRTC bus, went viral, Deepak was discovered dead at his house on January 18.
The police had reported to the court that the accused could sway witnesses if released on bond. According to the Medical College police report, the investigation is still in its early stages and providing bail could allow the accused to sway witnesses.
Statements from passengers and bus employees who were on the bus at the time have not yet been documented. The prosecution contended that granting bail in this case may lead to the destruction of evidence and the coercion of witnesses.
Living with his family and working at a textile industry, it is said that he was unable to cope with the public humiliation. Last Wednesday, Shimjitha, 35, was arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting suicide.
The Magistrate Court accepted the prosecution’s contention that the investigation was ongoing and that releasing the accused at this point might result in evidence manipulation and attempts to sway witnesses. Additionally, a forensic examination of her cell phone is still required by the investigation team.
Deepak committed suicide after viewing the contentious recordings, which subsequently gained popularity on social media, according to the police report submitted to the court. The accused is well-educated, has a postgraduate degree, was a previous ward member of the Areekode grama panchayat, and has adequate legal knowledge, according to the report.
The police also noted that the accused did not submit a complaint at either the Vadakara or Payyannur police stations, despite claiming an unpleasant experience throughout the travel. According to the report, Deepak, who was purportedly offended by the tapes, suffered from severe mental distress because he was afraid that his parents and other family members would view him as a sexual offender.
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He was discovered hanging in his bedroom after taking the drastic measure while in a state of shock. Shimjitha allegedly erased her Facebook and Instagram accounts from her phone following the incident, therefore the investigating team has stepped its efforts to get them back.
