Nanthancode Mass Murder Case: Kedal Jinson Raja Sentenced To Life Imprisonment, Rs 15 Lakh Fine Imposed

Thiruvananthapuram: In a verdict delivered on Tuesday, the Thiruvananthapuram Additional Sessions Court VI sentenced Kedal Jinson Raja, the sole accused in the chilling Nanthancode mass murder case, to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 15 lakh was imposed.

Judge K Vishnu pronounced the sentence, ordering Kedal to serve a total of 26 years in prison for the four murders. Section 302 (Murder): Life imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 3 lakh for each of the four murders. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional year of imprisonment for each count.

• Section 201 (Destruction of Evidence): Five years of rigorous imprisonment. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional year of rigorous imprisonment.
• Section 436 (Arson): Seven years of rigorous imprisonment. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional year of rigorous imprisonment.

Consecutive Sentencing

The court specified that the sentences under Sections 201 and 436 must be served consecutively. Following the completion of these sentences, the life imprisonment under Section 302 can be served concurrently. Initially, Kedal had to undergo 12 years of imprisonment for the various offences, followed by 14 years of life imprisonment.

The court also directed that the collected fine amount of Rs 15 lakh should be paid to the first witness in the case. Advocate Dileep Sathyan, representing the prosecution, had argued that the case was one of the rarest of the rare and demanded the death penalty for the accused. However, the court opted for life imprisonment.

The court reiterated its finding that family issues were the driving force behind the murders. Accepting the evidence presented by the prosecution, the court had on May 12 found Kedal Jinson Raja guilty of the offences under Sections 302, 436, and 201. A total of 92 witnesses were examined during the trial.

Kedal committed the gruesome murders of his parents, Professor Raja Thankam and Dr Jean Padmam, his sister Caroline, and his relative Lalitha on April 5, 2017, at their residence near Cliff House in Nanthancode. This horrific incident had sent shockwaves across Kerala.

Gruesome Nature of the Murders

The mass murder began on April 5, 2017, at house number 117 in Bains Compound, Nanthancode. Kedal murdered his retired professor father, Raja Thankam (60), his wife, Dr Jean Padmam (58), their daughter Caroline (25), and their relative Lalitha (70) over two days. The bodies were discovered on the morning of April 9. The mortal remains of the father, mother and sister were found completely burned, while Lalitha's body was found chopped into pieces, placed in a polythene cover, wrapped in a blanket, and infested with maggots.

Bizarre Initial Testimony

Initially, Kedal provided a bizarre statement to the police, claiming that he murdered his family members as part of an "astral projection" experiment. However, the police concluded that the mass killing was meticulously planned and that the astral projection claim was merely a smokescreen. They determined that deep-seated resentment towards his parents was the real motive, a point strongly argued by the prosecution in court.

Unfazed During Evidence Collection

Even after his arrest, Kedal reportedly behaved nonchalantly and even smiled when brought in for evidence collection. He allegedly reenacted before the police how he murdered his parents and sister. Medical examinations confirmed that Kedal had no mental health issues, a fact emphasised by the prosecution in court.

Kedal consistently maintained his innocence throughout the trial. He had fled to Chennai after committing the crime but was apprehended by the police upon his return to Thiruvananthapuram. He is currently incarcerated in Poojappura Central Jail.

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