CCTV, burnt remains, land fraud: Kerala real estate dealer under serial crime scanner

Kottayam: In a chilling turn of events, a 65-year-old real estate dealer arrested in connection with the disappearance of a woman in Kerala has now emerged as the possible linchpin in a string of vanishings spanning years — with investigators fearing the discovery of a serial predator hiding in plain sight.

Sebastian, a resident of Pallipuram in Alappuzha district, was arrested on July 28 after fresh leads in the disappearance of 60-year-old Jainamma (Jain Mathew) from Ettumanoor, Kottayam, who went missing in December 2024, pointed squarely to him. But what began as a single missing persons case has now spiralled into a possible multi-victim crime saga.

During a search of Sebastian’s property, police unearthed burnt human remains, triggering alarm bells and reopening three older missing women cases in which his name had quietly surfaced — but never stuck.

Authorities are now preparing a large-scale forensic excavation of Sebastian’s extensive compound in Chennampallipuram panchayat, suspecting a broader and more sinister pattern.

Jainamma was last seen on December 23, 2024. Her family initially believed she had gone to a meditation retreat. But when days passed without contact and her phone went silent, a missing person report was filed. Digital surveillance placed her phone in multiple locations that matched Sebastian’s movements. CCTV footage confirmed his presence near the last known location of her device.

Crucially, on the day of Sebastian’s arrest, skeletal remains and a dental cap were recovered from his property. While Jainamma’s family ruled out the dental cap belonging to her, the discovery reopened the cold case of Ayesha, a woman from Varanad in Cherthala who disappeared years ago. Ayesha had known ties to Sebastian, with her friend Rosamma confirming that Ayesha had sought his help for a land purchase — a recurring link in all the cases.

Even more damning is Sebastian’s alleged connection to the long-unsolved disappearance of Bindhu Padmanabhan from Kadakarappally, who vanished over a decade ago. In 2018, police had acted on suspicions at his residence, and Bindhu’s brother accused Sebastian and others of illegally transferring assets worth several crores in her name. Investigations found that a woman named Mini had impersonated Bindhu to execute a power of attorney and sell property worth Rs 5 crore. Mini later surrendered in court, while Sebastian — arrested at the time — was released on bail.

Now, with new evidence in hand and pressure mounting, Kerala Police believe they may have uncovered the workings of a calculated criminal who manipulated trust, wealth, and isolation to cover his tracks.

A full forensic probe is underway, with authorities not ruling out more victims — and more graves — hidden beneath the surface.