On Monday, Kerala court granted the police 10 days’ custody of the lone accused in the Kochi bomb blast case. Judge Honey M. Varghese of the Principal Session Court granted the police’s plea for 10-day custody of Dominic Martin. On October 29, at a prayer meeting of the Jehovah’s Witnesses at a convention center in Kalamassery near here, there was an explosion that left four people dead and over fifty wounded.
The police stated that they need to investigate his international connections, financial sources and other related matters. They further stated that the accused must be taken to certain locations for further collection of evidence. Meanwhile, Martin has once again denied the assistance of a legal aid lawyer. Martin was previously remanded to judicial custody on October 31.
In addition to Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (punishment for murder) and Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act, the accused has been charged under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Martin’s arrest was formally recorded by police after he surrendered shortly after the blasts on October 29. Martin, who claimed to be an estranged member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, shared a video on social media a few hours before surrendering, explaining his reasons for carrying out the blasts.