Nirmal Kumar, Usha Devi [top, left], Nileshni Kajal and her two daughters aged 11 and 8

The Lautoka Court yesterday afternoon dismissed an application made by the state for Police to hold a person of interest for longer than 48 hours.

This is in relation to the death of five members of the same family in Nadi.

A miscellaneous application was made for the respondent to be held further after having been questioned without any charges laid for the past two days.

As reported by FBC News on Tuesday that a man was taken in for questioning, the 48 hours time period lapsed without charges being laid.

As part of its investigation, Police needed more time to question the man, who is from New Zealand, but the defence counsel objected to this and the court has dismissed the application.

It is also believed that a second person, who is his wife has also been questioned and was to have been released last night or will this morning. Authorities say a stop departure order has also been issued for the two as they reside in Christchurch.

The bodies of a 63-year-old carpenter, Nirmal Kumar, his 54-year-old wife Usha Devi, their 34-year-old daughter, Nileshni Kajal and her two daughters aged Sana, 11, and Samara, 8 were found in the Nausori Highlands on Monday.

A one-year-old also found crawling at the scene and is in hospital.

Medical tests have indicated that the five people died after ingesting a substance as yet unrevealed by police.

Police confirm the findings of the post mortem examination yesterday are consistent with an alleged substance ingested by all five victims which resulted in their deaths.

Further tests will now be carried out by the Fiji Police Force to obtain more information.

The Chemistry Scientific Lab in Nasova, Suva is now carrying out these tests.