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Kerala police have not found the remains of Mathew, a man missing since May 2018, during an extensive excavation at his family's property in Pachady, Idukki district. The search was launched after 43-year-old Saji was arrested in connection with the murders of his mother, Marykkutty (70), and brother, Reji (47), whose decomposed bodies were recovered from the premises. Idukki Police Chief K.M. Sabu Mathew confirmed the search yielded only animal bones and a piece of wood, with no trace of human remains.
Investigators expanded the probe after family members reported Mathew's disappearance and suggested Saji's involvement. The double murder case intensified following the exhumation of the victims, prompting authorities to examine potential links to the father's unexplained absence. Saji is currently the prime suspect in the murders and is now under investigation for Mathew's disappearance.
Police have also registered allegations that Saji raped two female relatives. A DNA sample has been collected from him for comparison with records from a 2018 incident in which one of the women lost a child during childbirth. Authorities have not confirmed a direct link but are pursuing the leads as part of the broader investigation.
Saji was produced before the Nedumkandam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court after his initial police custody expired and has been remanded. Police plan to file a fresh application next week seeking extended custody to continue interrogation.