Palakkad (Kerala) | A court will pronounce the sentence on July 20 for Chenthamara, who was convicted in the sensational 2025 Nenmara double murder case.
Additional Sessions Judge Kenneth George on Thursday posted the matter for sentencing after considering a mitigation investigation report submitted by defence lawyers, in compliance with a Supreme Court direction on sentencing in cases that may attract the death penalty.
The court had on Monday found Chenthamara (61) guilty of murdering Sudhakaran and his mother Lakshmi at Pothundi near Nenmara on January 27, 2025.
The report was called for in view of the Supreme Court's 2023 judgment, which held that in cases where the death penalty is a possible punishment, sentencing should be carried out only after considering a mitigation investigation report.
Accordingly, the trial court had asked defence lawyers to prepare and submit the report.
After considering the report, the court posted the case to July 20 for pronouncement of the sentence.
Chenthamara was convicted under Sections 103(1) (murder) and 126(2) (wrongful restraint) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
He had earlier been arrested for the 2019 murder of Sudhakaran's wife Sajitha, whom he allegedly blamed for his marital problems.
After being released on bail in that case in January 2025, he allegedly murdered Sudhakaran and Lakshmi.
In the Sajitha murder case, Chenthamara had earlier been sentenced to double life imprisonment.
Public Prosecutor M J Vijayakumar told reporters that the mitigation investigation report stated that the convict had expressed remorse for his actions.
"According to the report, he has remorse, meaning he repents, feels regret and is saddened by what he did. It also says that since he is in prison, his family will look after the deceased person's second child. Apart from highlighting remorse, there is nothing in the report regarding rehabilitation," he said.
Asked whether the mitigation report could persuade the court to award a sentence other than death, Vijayakumar said the possibility was "very low".
"Two other reports, one by the probation officer and another by the psychiatrist, are already in favour of the prosecution. There is no further procedure left. The sentence will be pronounced on July 20," he added.
