Chengannur, Alappuzha: The tragic murder of Bhaskara Karanavar, a 65-year-old American Malayali, in 2009 is a chilling tale of love, betrayal, and revenge.

Bhaskara Karanavar, who lived in Karanavar’s Villa in Cheriyanad was killed under mysterious circumstances that would later reveal a web of deceit involving his daughter-in-law, Sherin, her lover Basith Ali and his associates. The case shocked Kerala and remains one of the most memorable and gruesome murder cases in the state’s history.

Timeline of Events:

November 7, 2009: Bhaskara Karanavar is murdered at his home in Cheriyanad. Only Sherin, her husband Binu Peter (Bhaskara’s physically challenged son) and their child were present in the house at the time. 

November 8, 2009: Karanavar’s body is discovered. Morning, the maid arrives with tea but finds him unresponsive. She informs Sherin, who claims to have no knowledge of what happened.
The police are informed, and an initial investigation begins. Sherin's behavior seems suspicious and the police start suspecting foul play. She initially explains everything as an accidental death, but further investigation casts doubt on her story.

November 9, 2009: The police find evidence suggesting that Karanavar was murdered, not by natural causes. They discover that Sherin had opened the door to the house for the assailants—Basith Ali and his friends, Shanu Rasheed and Nithin—who had come to carry out the crime. Sherin had also given them sedatives to calm the dogs, allowing the killers to proceed without interruption.

November 10, 2009: The police begin to piece together the events leading up to the murder. They discover that Sherin had been in a secret relationship with Basith Ali, whom she met through the social media platform Orkut. Her motive for the murder was financial gain and to be with Basith. The police also learn that Sherin had planned the murder with Basith and his friends, who were recruited to help carry out the crime.

November 12, 2009: The police arrest Sherin after uncovering crucial evidence. The investigation reveals that she had administered chloroform to Karanavar, then pressed a pillow over his face to suffocate him. To make the crime look like a robbery gone wrong, she had sprinkled chili powder around the house.

November 13-15, 2009: The police arrest the other accused—Basith Ali, Shanu Rasheed, and Nithin—who were tracked down in Goa. Their phone records and circumstantial evidence confirmed their involvement in the murder. The police also learned that Sherin had planned the murder with her lover, driven by financial desperation and her desire to be free of Karanavar, who had become an obstacle to her ambitions.

November 22, 2009: The police file a chargesheet, and the case begins to gain widespread media attention. The investigation reveals that Sherin had a history of financial dealings and was involved in multiple love affairs, which had strained her marriage with Binu Peter.

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Karanavar's Villa and Sherin. Bhaskara Karnarnanvar (insight). | Mathrubhumi
Karanavar's Villa and Sherin. Bhaskara Karnarnanvar (insight). | Mathrubhumi

July 2010: The trial begins in a special fast-track court. The prosecution presents 96 witnesses and 12 documents to support their case. The defense argues that Sherin was coerced into the crime, but the evidence overwhelmingly points to her as the mastermind.

June 11, 2010: The court convicts Sherin and the other accused. Sherin is sentenced to three life terms for her role in the murder, while Basith Ali, Shanu Rasheed, and Nithin receive double life sentences. The judge also imposes a fine of Rs. 85,000 on each of the accused.

2010-2011: Sherin is initially lodged in Poojapura Central Jail, then transferred to Neyyattinkara Women’s Jail, and later to Viyyur Central Jail. During her imprisonment, allegations of illegal phone use and misconduct arise, leading to further transfers.

2015: Sherin is included in the list of prisoners eligible for parole, becoming one of the most frequently paroled prisoners in Kerala’s history. This raises questions about the fairness of her sentence and the potential political influence involved.

2017: Sherin is transferred to Thiruvananthapuram Women’s Jail, and her case continues to attract public attention.

2019-2020: Allegations surface that a minister may have been involved in influencing the commutation of Sherin’s sentence. This sparks a political controversy, with accusations that the commutation was granted due to political pressure. The law department, however, states that Sherin’s sentence could be commuted because the original verdict did not explicitly state that she would serve a life sentence without the possibility of release.

2024: The case remains unresolved in terms potential remission of sentence for Sherin. The controversy surrounding her commutation continues to be a topic of public discussion, with some questioning whether justice has been served in this high-profile case.

Sherin remains in Kannur Women’s Prison, and her commutation case is under review. The involvement of a minister in the commutation decision has led to further scrutiny, with political tensions arising over the issue. The case has sparked debates about the influence of politics in legal matters and the potential for judicial leniency in high-profile criminal cases.