PALAKKAD: A sessions court in Palakkad on Monday found Chenthamara (60), the sole accused in the sensational Nenmara double murder case that shocked Kerala, guilty of murdering Sudhakaran (55) and his mother, Lakshmi (75), at Boyan Colony, Thiruthampadam, Pothundi, in Nenmara.
Additional Sessions Judge IV Kenneth George held Chenthamara guilty under Sections 103(1) (murder) and 126(2) (wrongful restraint) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Final arguments on the quantum of sentence will be heard on Wednesday, following which the court will pronounce the sentence.
The prosecution alleged that on January 27, 2025, Chenthamara hacked to death his neighbour Sudhakaran and his mother Lakshmi, shortly after being released on bail in the murder case of Sudhakaran's wife, Sajitha (35).
According to the prosecution, Chenthamara suspected that Sajitha and her family were responsible for his wife and daughter leaving him, a belief that allegedly motivated the murders.
Earlier, on August 31, 2019, Chenthamara had allegedly entered Sajitha's house and murdered her. In that case, the same court had sentenced him to double life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 3.25 lakh. The trial in the double murder case was conducted over 70 days, from February 23 to May 6, 2026.
Of the 132 witnesses cited by the prosecution, 81 were examined. Four witnesses, including a relative of the accused, turned hostile during the trial.
The prosecution relied on forensic and medical evidence, circumstantial evidence, and witness testimonies. A total of 91 documents and 28 material objects were produced before the court.
The prosecution was assisted by Liaison Officer Grade ASI K Jinaprasad, Prosecution Cell Administrative Officer SI Ramesh, and Nenmara Police Station Senior Civil Police Officer Sivadas.
The investigation was led by Alathur DySP Muralidharan, with Inspector Mahendrasingh, SI R Rajesh, Grade SI Santhosh, ASIs Rajesh and Krishnadas, Senior Civil Police Officers Shibin, Sivaprakash, and Civil Police Officer Vinu forming part of the investigation team.
Public Prosecutor MJ Vijayakumar said the prosecution would seek the maximum punishment, including the death penalty, for the convict.
Counsel for Chenthamara, Advocate Jacob Mathew, however, said the court had not examined the evidence in sufficient depth and described the verdict as "an unexpected lottery" for the prosecution.
He also alleged that media coverage had influenced the court and said an appeal would be filed against the conviction.
The verdict has come within one and a half years of the double murder. According to the prosecution, this is the first case registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in which a verdict has been delivered within such a short period.
Meanwhile, Sudhakaran’s daughters, Akhila and Athulya, urged the court to impose the maximum punishment on Chenthamara. They said they feared for their lives and expressed concern that he could harm them if released.
Saritha, sister of the deceased Sajitha, urged the government to provide employment and protection to Sudhakaran's daughters, who lost both their parents to separate murders allegedly committed by the same accused.
