Mystery deepens over Models' death in Kochi: Car crash an accident or murder?

Kozhikode, Nov 23: Ansi Kabeer (24) who hails from Thiruvananthapuram and Anjana Shajan (25), a Thrissur native, were killed when their car allegedly swerved in a bid to avoid hitting a motorcyclist on the Vyttila-Palarivattom National Highway Bypass in Kochi at 1 AM on November 1.

One among the two other passengers in the car who were injured K A Muhammed Ashik (25) in the accident died a week later, which, according to the police, is a case of rash and negligent driving under the influence of alcohol. However, Abdul Rahman from Mala, who drove the car, survived with minor injuries.

The accident happened on their way back home from the Number-18 hotel.

The incident occurred past midnight and although it seemed like an accident, Kerala Police spotted many red flags and discrepancies, and almost two weeks after the deaths of the models.

A major arrest came only after 17 days, when the police booked No. 18 Hotel owner Roy Vayalat and his five hotel employees in connection with the case.

No 18 Hotel- What happened on the fateful night
The four - Ansi, Anjana, Ashique and Rahman - were returning from a party held at No 18, a premium hotel.

According to reports, the victims Miss South India Ansi Kabeer and Miss Kerala 2019 runner-up Anjana Shajan had attended a programme in a hotel in Fort Kochi before the car crash at night on November 1.

The Missing Hard Disk
A hotel employee had told investigators that the hard disk was dumped into the Vembanad Lake from Kannangattu bridge near Thevara on the instruction of hotelier Roy Joseph Vayalat.

A team of scuba divers from the Fire and Rescue Department tried to find the hard disk, but their efforts did not yield any result.

Man who chased models in Audi
In another related development, the person who was following the ill-fated car, Saiju Thankachan, a Kakkanad-based interior designer, who drove the Audi, approached the court seeking anticipatory bail as he feared being arrested. It is learnt that the Saiju allegedly has links to drug peddlers in Kochi. He allegedly works for a group peddling chemical drugs from Bengaluru to Kochi.

Saiju followed the models after they denied his invitation to join an after party at No. 18 Hotel.

Saiju admitted to the police that he called Roy Vayalat and some employees at the hotel immediately after the accident. Saiju also called the police control room to report the accident.