Meanwhile, the Dubai Police had found that her body was dumped outside a Sharjah hospital. The body is still kept at the mortuary in Sharjah.
Finally, the federal probe agency in India is going to probe the mysterious case of Smitha Antony, a Kerala woman who went missing under suspicious circumstances in Dubai.
Ten years after her missing, the Kerala High Court (HC) observed that only Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) can conduct a fair probe into the case, which was previously investigated by Kerala Police and the Dubai Police.
Justice B. Kemal Pasha has issued the directive while allowing a writ petition filed by Smitha’s father, George.
Meanwhile, the Dubai Police had found that her body was dumped outside a Sharjah hospital. The body is still kept at the mortuary in Sharjah.
Smitha’s father is yet to see his daughter’s body. However, the petitioner and relatives have identified Smitha after seeing the photograph of the body.
The petitioner alleged that the body was dumped there by his son-in-law Antony.
According to him, Smitha Antony, who was 25 years old then, was reported missing by her husband, Sabu Antony, on September 3, 2005.
Smitha arrived in Dubai on a visit visa on September 1, 2005 after her marriage with Antony.
He took her to a shared accommodation in Karama. After two days, on September 3, he reported her missing at Al Rafaa police station. He contacted her family and told them she had written a letter saying she had married Antony just to reach Dubai and elope with her lover.
He also faxed a copy of the letter to them, which was later proved to be fabricated by him.
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On the day he registered a missing complaint, Smitha’s relative who went to meet Antony found a woman in his bedroom.
Antony and the relative had a fight over this and the police was called in.
Antony then attempted to commit suicide by jumping off the window but was arrested along with his woman friend.
The relative was sentenced to six months in jail to be followed by deportation, while Antony and his woman friend were sentenced to one month in jail for having an illicit relationship.
He continued to work in Dubai after his release.
Meanwhile, Smitha’s relatives approached authorities in Kerala, accusing Antony of either pushing Smitha into a sex racket or murdering her.
An Indian court directed the Indian Consulate in Dubai to advertise on different channels to seek information from the public about the missing woman, but to no avail.
Later, Antony left Dubai for the US. In 2011, Antony returned to India and filed for divorce from Smitha on grounds of adultery. After being granted divorce, he married another woman.
On request from Smitha’s family, the Kerala Police’s elite detective wing, the Crime Branch, investigated the case.
The police brought Antony from the US to Kerala on February 9 and placed him under arrest for Smitha’s suspected murder.
