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The Alappuzha Crime Branch police have filed fresh murder charges against CM Sebastian after he confessed to killing another woman, identified as Bindu Padmanabhan. Sebastian, a native of Pallippuram in Alappuzha, is already in police custody for the murder of 60-year-old Jainamma (Jain Mathew) from Ettumanoor in Kottayam.
Investigators told a lower court that Sebastian confessed to Bindu’s killing during his interrogation in the Jainamma case. Following this revelation, the Crime Branch sought further custody to probe Bindu’s disappearance.
In its custody petition, the agency informed the court that Sebastian needed to be taken outside Kerala for evidence collection. “Velankanni, Coimbatore, Kodagu and Bengaluru are among the places where the accused must be taken for gathering evidence,” officials stated in their submission.
On September 18, Crime Branch officials formally recorded Sebastian’s arrest in connection with Bindu’s missing case at Viyyur Central Jail, where he is currently lodged. He had earlier been remanded on July 28 after his arrest in the Jainamma murder case.
The investigation into Sebastian intensified in July when police, while searching his property, recovered burnt human remains. This discovery prompted authorities to reopen at least three older missing women’s cases. Forensic teams are currently examining the remains, and a large-scale search operation is being prepared at his residence compound in Chennampallipuram panchayat.
Jainamma, last seen on December 23, 2024, was initially believed to have gone to a meditation centre. When she failed to return, her family filed a missing complaint. Cyber tracking later revealed that her phone signals repeatedly coincided with Sebastian’s location, and CCTV footage placed him near the area where her device was last traced.
Bindu, daughter of a late excise officer, had been missing since 2006, though her estranged family in Kadakkarappally reported her disappearance only in 2017. Investigators later discovered that Sebastian had forged land records to sell her property in Kochi. Fake documents, including a school certificate in her name, were seized from his house. Though Sebastian and his accomplices were arrested for forgery, police at the time could not link him to Bindu’s disappearance.
Besides Jainamma and Bindu, police suspect Sebastian’s involvement in the disappearance of at least two more women.