Chenthamara gets double life imprisonment in Sajitha murder case

Palakkad: The Additional District and Sessions Court-IV here on Saturday sentenced Chenthamara to double life imprisonment in the Sajitha murder case, bringing closure to a case that dates back to 2019.

The court awarded life imprisonment under Sections 302 and 449. In addition to the double life term, the court also imposed a fine of ₹3.25 lakh.

Chenthamara was also sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹50,000 under Section 201. The court ordered that all the sentences would run concurrently.

Earlier, Judge Kenneth George had convicted Chenthamara on Tuesday for the murder of Sajitha, his neighbour, over suspicions related to his wife’s desertion.

The prosecution had sought the death penalty, arguing the crime was brutal, while the defence contended that the sentencing in the 2019 case should not be influenced by Chenthamara’s alleged involvement in a double murder case at Pothundy in January 2025.

Chenthamara gained notoriety after allegedly killing Sudhakaran, Sajitha’s widower, and his mother Lakshmi on January 27, 2025, while out on bail.

The trial in the Sajitha case began in August 2025, though the chargesheet had been filed in 2020. Several witnesses, including Chenthamara’s estranged wife, her brother, and close friends, testified against him during the proceedings.