Kerala Man Who Claimed ‘Astral Projection’ Drove Him To Kill Family Gets Life Sentence

A Kerala man convicted of the cold-blooded murder of four members of his family in 2017 has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Thiruvananthapuram court. Cadell Jeansen Raja, who had claimed that beliefs in astral projection and parapsychology influenced his actions, will serve multiple life terms.

The judgment was delivered by Additional Sessions Court-VI Judge Vishnu K, who rejected the prosecution’s demand for a death sentence but imposed strict terms of incarceration and fines, as per a report on PTI.

According to Special Public Prosecutor Dileep Sathyan, the court handed four concurrent life sentences to Cadell — one for each victim — but made it clear that these terms would begin only after the accused serves 12 years for additional convictions under other charges: seven years under Section 436 IPC and five years under Section 201 IPC.

The court also levied a fine of Rs 15 lakh, directing that the amount be paid as compensation to Cadell’s maternal uncle, who is now responsible for managing what remains of the family’s estate.

Chilling Murders In Nanthancode

On April 9, 2017, the bodies of Cadell’s father, Professor A Raja Thankam, his mother Dr Jean Padma (58), his sister Caroline (26), and a family elder Lalitha (70) were found at their home in Nanthancode, near Kerala Chief Minister’s residence. The murders shocked the state, not only for their brutality but also due to the accused's unusual claims during interrogation.

Cadell, who was arrested two days later, told investigators that his actions were influenced by parapsychological beliefs, particularly astral projection—a concept involving the separation of the soul from the body. He allegedly claimed that the murders were part of a spiritual experiment.

However, the prosecution maintained that these explanations were fabricated to evade accountability. Investigators argued that the motive stemmed from long-standing resentment towards his father, whom he believed had neglected him. The murders of the other family members, according to the police, were committed to eliminate witnesses.

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