A major breakthrough has been achieved in the perplexing 19-year-old Bindhu Padmanabhan missing case. The Crime Branch (CB) has significantly expanded its investigation after Sebastian C.M. of Pallippuram, near Cherthala, a key suspect, finally confessed to her murder and subsequent burial during a rigorous interrogation.
Investigators now believe Bindhu was brutally murdered in May 2006. Sebastian detailed a horrifying account, admitting the killing occurred at his Pallippuram residence – a location where crucial evidence was recently uncovered on September 27. His chilling confession revealed the motive: to steal ₹1.5 lakh Bindhu had received as an advance for her Ambalappuzha property sale. Sebastian recounted strangling her with a shawl, dismembering her body, and burying the parts within his home compound. Later, in a macabre effort to conceal the crime, he exhumed the bones, burned them, and dispersed the ashes across various unidentified locations.
The sheer depravity of the crime suggests a calculated effort spanning several months, from the murder itself to the meticulous disposal of the body. Sebastian, however, claims a lapse in memory, stating he cannot recall the precise spots where he buried Bindhu’s remains or scattered her ashes.
The Crime Branch concluded that a heated dispute over the ₹1.5 lakh, which Bindhu had received on May 7, 2006, served as the catalyst for the murder.
Sebastian, already in custody for almost two months concerning the disappearance of Jainamma (Jain Mathew) from Ettumanur, has now been formally charged with Bindhu’s murder under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Prior to his recent confession, Sebastian had steadfastly refused to cooperate with investigators regarding Bindhu’s disappearance. The original police probe began in May 2018, prompted by a complaint from Bindhu’s brother, Praveen Kumar. He reported his sister, a woman of considerable wealth, missing under suspicious circumstances and further alleged that real estate brokers had illicitly seized her properties through forged documents.
The ongoing investigation previously uncovered a complex web of deceit: Sebastian, alongside T. Mini (also known as Jaya), had illegally sold Bindhu’s assets using falsified documents. Police reports indicate that in 2013, a fraudulent power of attorney was registered at the Pattanakkad sub-registrar’s office, with Mini impersonating Bindhu to sign the papers. This enabled the illicit sale of Bindhu’s ₹5 crore property to a Changanassery resident, who subsequently sold it again.
As the legal noose tightened, Mini surrendered to a local court, while Sebastian was apprehended for document forgery and involvement in illegal land transactions. Despite extensive questioning about Bindhu’s fate at the time, Sebastian remained uncooperative, and was eventually released on bail.
Case of Jainamma’s Disappearance
The Kottayam Crime Branch is currently investigating the disappearance of Jainamma, and they strongly suspect Sebastian’s involvement in her murder as well. Disturbing evidence, including bloodstains, a purse, and a watch belonging to Jainamma, was discovered at Sebastian’s Pallippuram home. While burnt remains and bone fragments were also found in the compound, DNA analysis is still pending to confirm if they belong to Jainamma.
Alarmingly, Sebastian’s alleged criminal activities extend beyond Bindhu and Jainamma; he is also being investigated for the disappearance of a third woman, Ayesha, from Varanad in Cherthala.