Cadell Jeansen Raja gets life imprisonment in Nanthencode mass murder case, imposes fine of Rs 15 lakh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Cadell Jeansen Raja (38), accused in the Nathencode murder case, has been awarded life sentence. He hacked to death his parents, sister and another relative. A fine of Rs 15 lakh has been imposed on him. The fine amount should be given to his uncle Jose Sundaram. The quantum of sentence was pronounced by sixth additional district sessions court judge K Vishnu. The court had the other day found him guilty.

Cadell’s maternal uncle Jose Sundaram, had given four-cents of land and a house near their house to the accused mother. The court ruled that Jose, who is now in a wheelchair without anyone's help, should be given the fine amount. The defence had demanded that the age of the accused be considered and that he is mentally disturbed. However, the prosecution asked how a mentally disturbed person could burn three people to death. Not cooperating cannot be interpreted as mental illness. How can he kill his mother who gave birth to him? The prosecution also asked who can guarantee that Cadell will not commit such acts again if he is released.

Cadell was charged with murder, destruction of evidence, causing hurt with deadly weapons and destruction of house. Cadell killed his father Raja Thankam, a retired professor of Marthandam Christian College, his mother Jean Padma, who retired from Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital, his sister Caroline, who had completed her MBBS, and his visually impaired relative Lalitha at house number 117, Bains Compound near Cliff House at Nanthancode in Thiruvananthapuram. He committed the murders on April 5 and 6 in 2017.

The murder came to light when the house caught fire while trying to burn the bodies on April 9. The accused took the bodies to his room on the second floor of the house one by one and then hacked them to death with an axe from behind. He then cut the bodies into pieces and burned them in the toilet. Meanwhile, the fire flared up and the accused also suffered burns. The accused, who escaped, then fled to Chennai. He was arrested when he returned to Thiruvananthapuram.

The trial in the case began on November 13 in 2024. It lasted 65 days. 42 witnesses were examined. The prosecution presented 120 documents and 90 mainours, including scientific evidence. In the case where there were no eyewitnesses, the investigation team relied on scientific evidence. The main evidence was that he had seen videos of people being hacked to death with an axe on YouTube and that he had bought the axe online.