The Thiruvananthapuram Additional District and Sessions Court VI on Monday found Cadell Jeansen Raja, accused in the Nanthancode multiple homicide case, guilty of murdering his parents, sister, and aunt.
Judge Vishnu K. found Cadell guilty on four counts of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He was also found guilty under Section 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with the intent to destroy house) and Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) of the IPC.
The court will hear the arguments regarding the quantum of sentence on Tuesday. The prosecution will likely seek capital punishment, citing the case qualified as “rarest of rare”.
The crime unfolded on April 5 and 6, 2017 at House No. 117 in Bains Compound, Nanthancode, near Cliff House. Cadell, 37, murdered his father, Raja Thankam, 60, a retired professor; his mother, Jean Padma, 56, a retired doctor; his sister, Caroline, 26; and his aunt, Lalitha, 70. The incident came to light on April 9 when their mutilated and partially charred bodies were discovered in the two-storey residence.
Following the murders, committed with a carpenter’s axe purchased online, Cadell attempted to destroy the evidence by setting the bodies ablaze before fleeing. He was apprehended on April 10 at the Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station on his arrival from Chennai.
During questioning by the court, Cadell claimed to have been in Chennai at the time of the murders and denied any knowledge of the deaths. However, forensic evidence presented by the prosecution contradicted his claims. The forensic report revealed the presence of the victims’ blood and traces of petrol on his clothing.
Moreover, post-mortem examination indicated that the victims sustained fatal injuries, primarily to the back of the head, inflicted by the carpenter’s axe recovered from the crime scene. Investigations confirmed that the murder weapon was purchased through Cadell’s account on an e-commerce platform. The hard disk of his laptop contained evidence of him repeatedly viewing a web series depicting axe murders committed from behind.
The prosecution presented compelling evidence suggesting premeditation. This included the purchase of a disinfectant floor cleaner and a mop on April 4, the day before the murders, suggesting an attempt to clean-up the crime scene. Cadell also purchased black polythene covers from a shop in Nanthancode, and petrol in two cans from a petrol pump near TTC Junction.
The prosecution presented 41 witnesses, 104 documents, and 57 material objects. The investigation was spearheaded by District Police Chief (Kozhikode Rural) K.E. Baiju, the then Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cantonment), and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kazhakuttam) and then Museum Circle Inspector J.K. Dinil.
Published – May 12, 2025 08:04 pm IST
