The Additional District and Sessions Court-IV here will pronounce the sentence on Monday in the Pothundy twin murder case, in which the accused, Chenthamara, was found guilty. The court on Thursday deferred the sentencing after completing arguments on punishment.
A mitigation report prepared by the District Legal Services Authority was submitted before the court ahead of the sentencing. Chenthamara, who is lodged at the District Jail at Malampuzha, appeared before the court through videoconference.
The defence argued against the death penalty citing the convict’s mental stress and sought an opportunity for rehabilitation. The prosecution opposed the plea, arguing that the mitigation report was unreliable and should not influence sentencing.
The prosecution said the report only reproduced Chenthamara’s statements and contained no independent assessment or evidence-based findings. It also rejected the report’s observation that inadequate treatment for Chenthamara’s condition contributed to the second murder.
The prosecution opposed Chenthamara’s offer to give his prison earnings to the children of the deceased Sudhakaran, stating that he had shown no remorse for the murders. It told the court that the only grief he ever expressed was that his wife and daughter had left him.
The defence argued that the possibility of reform could not be ruled out and sought leniency instead of the maximum punishment. The prosecution also rejected the claim that Chenthamara suffers from mental health issues.
The District Legal Services Authority intervened in the case and provided counselling to Chenthamara for two days. The mitigation report was prepared after assessing his response to counselling, body language, mental state and related factors.
On January 27, 2025, Chenthamara allegedly killed Sudhakaran and his mother Lakshmi at Pothundy, Nenmara. The sentencing comes around one-and-a-half years after the murders.
Chenthamara was earlier sentenced to double life imprisonment for the murder of Sudhakaran’s wife Sajitha in 2019. He committed the twin murders in 2025 after being released on bail in the previous murder case.
The prosecution has sought the death penalty for Chenthamara, while the defence has requested consideration of life imprisonment and other lesser punishments. The court will announce the final sentence on Monday.
Published - July 16, 2026 09:00 pm IST