Kottayam: James, father of Jesna Maria James, a second-year BCom student who went missing on March 22, 2018, has dismissed recent claims made by a former lodge employee that she had seen a girl resembling Jesna at a lodge in Mundakayam here, calling it an “attempt to mislead the investigation”.

The ex-lodge employee has claimed that she had seen a girl resembling Jesna at the lodge, just days before Jesna disappeared. According to the woman, the girl was accompanied by a boy. She also stated that after recognising Jesna’s photo in a newspaper, she questioned the lodge owner, who allegedly told her to remain silent and not speak about it.

James, however, rejected these claims, saying, "It has already been proven that the girl seen on the CCTV footage was not Jesna. There is no truth in what this woman is saying. It seems like an attempt to divert the investigation, but I believe the CBI is on the right track."

James further revealed that about a month ago, he received a phone call from someone who claimed to have information about his daughter's case. "I don't know if it was this woman or her friend, but she called me saying she had some things to share. My friends, who are also investigating the case, have already found out that there’s no truth in her statements," he added.

The lodge owner, on the other hand, has dismissed the ex-employee’s claims, suggesting that they are prompted from personal animosity towards him.

The Jesna Maria James case remains unsolved, with her family and investigators continuing their search for answers six years after her disappearance.