Thiruvananthapuram: Thiruvananthapuram city district crime branch on Tuesday arrested Raveendran Nair, 60, the former caretaker of the Koodathil family at Karamana, in connection with the murder of Jayamadhavan Nair, the last heir of the family.Jayamadhavan’s death in 2017 had triggered a prolonged investigation. Two more persons, Anil and Saju, have also been taken into custody for helping Raveendran in the murder, the police said.The arrest marks a breakthrough in the case, which remained unresolved for years amid suspicions surrounding the deaths of seven members of the family in the past three decades. The police are understood to have gathered scientific and circumstantial evidence against Raveendran following questioning and forensic examinations.According to the police, the investigation team also subjected the accused to brain mapping. The police said Raveendran murdered Jayamadhavan by banging his head against the wall. The murder was to seize family assets, the police said.Thiruvananthapuram city police commissioner Arul RB Krishna told TOI that the investigation would continue to determine whether Raveendran had any role in the other suspicious deaths reported in the family over the years. Further investigation would be conducted if fresh leads emerged, the commissioner said.Raveendran has been charged under BNS Section 103 (punishment for murder) and will be remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.The case pertains to the death of Jayamadhavan, who was found injured at the family’s ancestral house at Kalady in Karamana, on April 2, 2017. He was taken to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Initially treated as an unnatural death, the case took a turn after forensic examinations indicated that he had sustained fatal head injuries.A subsequent investigation raised suspicions about the circumstances surrounding his death, including discrepancies in statements given by Raveendran and others about how Jayamadhavan was taken to the hospital. The investigation also examined allegations of forged documents relating to the transfer of the family’s properties to Raveendran.The Koodathil family witnessed seven deaths between 1991 and 2017. While the circumstances surrounding several of these deaths had raised suspicions, the police would now examine whether there is any evidence linking the accused to any of them. The case was earlier handled by Karamana Police, and later the probe was transferred to the crime branch.The investigation is being led by Thiruvananthapuram city district crime branch assistant commissioner M I Shaji.
