Murder accused Sebastian now linked to multiple missing women cases

Suspicion is growing about a possible connection between Sebastian, the accused in the murder of Jainamma (Jain Mathew) from Ettumanoor, and the disappearance of another woman, Ayesha, a native of Varanad in Cherthala. Ayesha reportedly went missing a few years ago. Besides, Jainamma and Ayesha, Sebastian is also under investigation in connection with the disappearance of Bindhu Padmanabhan from Kadakarappally, who went missing more than a decade ago.

Sources said that if the skeletal remains recovered from Sebastian’s house in Pallippuram do not match Jainamma, the Crime Branch plans to conduct a DNA test using samples from Ayesha’s relatives.

On Saturday, the police conducted evidence collection in Cherthala in connection with Jainamma’s case, with Sebastian present. He was taken to the private bank where he had pledged Jainamma’s five sovereign gold. Jainamma went missing from Ettumannoor on December 23, 2024.

Suspicions about Sebastian’s role in Ayesha’s disappearance have deepened following statements by Ayesha’s friend, Rosamma, who revealed that Ayesha had financial dealings with him. She had reportedly approached Sebastian for help in buying land to build a house.

Though police had earlier confirmed that she had been in contact with Sebastian, they were unable to establish any link between him and her disappearance at the time. During the examination of skeletal remains recovered from Sebastian’s property on July 28, investigators found a tooth with a steel cap. While Jainamma’s relatives informed that she had no such dental work, Ayesha’s and Bindhu’s families confirmed that they did.

Sebastian had earlier failed to cooperate with the investigation into the disappearance of Bindu.

In May 2018, the police launched an investigation based on a complaint by Bindhu’s brother Praveen Kumar, stating that his sister, who owned assets worth crores of rupees, had gone missing under mysterious circumstances a few years ago. The complainant alleged that some real estate brokers had taken possession of her assets after forging documents.

The probe revealed that Sebastian and another person- T. Mini, alias Jaya, had sold assets owned by Bindhu after forging documents. According to the police, a power of attorney was registered at the sub-registrar office, Pattanakkad, in 2013. Mini had signed the papers posing as Bindhu. Following this, a property owned by Bindhu worth ₹5 crore was sold to a Changanassery native, who later resold it to another person.

As the investigation progressed, Mini surrendered before a local court, while police arrested Sebastian in connection with document forgery and illegal land deals. Though Sebastian was questioned about Bindhu’s whereabouts, it yielded no results. He was later released on bail.