Cadell Jeansen Raja convicted in 2017 Nanthancode quadruple murder case
Thiruvananthapuram: The Additional Sessions Court in Thiruvananthapuram has found Cadell Jeansen Raja guilty in the chilling 2017 Nanthancode mass family murder case. The sentence is expected to be announced on Tuesday.
The court convicted Raja of brutally murdering his father, Professor Raja Thankam, his mother, Dr. Jean Padma (a cardiologist), his sister Caroll, a medical graduate from China, and his blind aunt, Lalitha. These "one-by-one, execution-style" killings took place over three days beginning April 5, 2017, inside their upscale home in Bains Compound, near Kerala’s ministerial residences.
Emergency services discovered the charred remains of the victims on April 8, 2017, after a fire was reported. Raja was arrested a week later in Chennai with minor burn injuries on his hand.
According to the prosecution, Raja—who is now the sole heir to the family’s vast assets, including a Tamil Nadu plantation—lured each victim to his upstairs room on separate occasions before fatally attacking them with an axe purchased online. A “Stanley’s Carpenter Axe” was recovered during the investigation.
Officials also uncovered violent video games and a human dummy from Raja’s room, which was filled with computers and gaming devices. They alleged that the killings bore eerie similarities to scenes from the game ‘Zoombie Go Boom.’
The trial faced repeated delays over questions regarding Raja’s mental fitness. He claimed the murders occurred while he was attempting “astral projection,” asserting a lack of “mens rea” or criminal intent. However, a court-appointed medical board dismissed this claim, concluding that the killings were deliberate and premeditated.
Prosecutors argued that longstanding familial tensions, academic underperformance, social isolation, and resentment over his family members' overseas ambitions fueled Raja’s motives.
The case was investigated by SP K. E. Baiju, DySP J. K. Dinil, and Sub Inspectors Manikantan and Rajesh. Special Prosecutor Dilip Sathyan represented the State, and the trial was overseen by Additional Sessions Judge K. Vishnu.
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Speaker UT Khader attends local cricket tournament during Bhatkal visit
Bhatkal: Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly U. T. Khader visited Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district on Saturday and attended a local cricket match being played as part of a tournament organised by the Cosmos Sports Centre of Bhatkal.
After attending a programme at Anjuman Hami-E-Muslimeen, Khader proceeded to the Bhatkal Taluka Stadium, where the tournament is underway. He was accompanied by office-bearers of the Cosmos Sports Centre and several local community leaders.
Those present during the visit included President of Majlis-e-Islah Wa Tanzeem and former JD(S) leader Inayathullah Shabandri, Vice President of Tanzeem Atiqur Rahman Muniri, General Secretary Abdul Raqeeb MJ, President of Cosmos Sports Centre Ismail Anjum, Managing Director of Mohtisham Complexes S. M. Arshad, former president of the Bhatkal Muslim Youth Federation Imtiyaz Udyawar, among others.
Addressing players and organisers, Khader extended his best wishes to the participating teams and urged the players to uphold the spirit of sportsmanship. He said such tournaments help promote unity and brotherhood among the youth.
The cricket tournament began on November 21 and will conclude with the final match on December 21. It is being organised as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Cosmos Sports Centre.
Cosmos Sports Centre is one of the member clubs of the Bhatkal Muslim Youth Federation and is known for its active role in promoting sports in the town. Apart from sporting activities, the centre is also involved in various social and community initiatives, including efforts to promote education among students.
