Andheri high-rise murder: He also mentally tortured us, say mother, son

Santana Krishnan Seshadri, the deceaed; (right) his son Arvind, the main accused in the case

The son of deceased Santana Krishnan Seshadri has told Amboli police that he and his mother killed him because he mentally tortured them, and had admitted them to a mental hospital in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, falsely claiming that they were ill.

mid-day reported about the murder on Saturday, with police saying that the accused have killed the 53-year-old central government employee because he refused to pay for son's higher studies in Canada. Seshadri, who was the assistant general manager at Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), and resided with his family at SIDBI Officer's quarters at Veera Desai Road, Andheri West.

Tortures in TN

On Sunday, the deceased's wife Jaisheela Seshadri and son Arvind Seshadri also told police about the alleged incident in Coimbatore. In February 2020, Santana used his power to admit them at a mental hospital for four months, and they were also given shock treatments.

A few months back, Jaisheela and Arvind demanded that he divorce her, but Santana refused and was also not ready to help them financially.

‘We're given shock therapy'

In the police statement, main accused Arvind told police, "Since my birth, Santana didn't like me. He provided me education, but never behaved like a father. There were daily fights at home and he tortured us." The mother-son duo demanded divorce many a times, but Santana would blackmail them and even attempted suicide twice, according to the statement. In 2005, he tried to jump off the balcony of his Andheri flat, and in 2011, he cut the vein in his hand, but was rushed to hospital by his wife and he survived.

"In February 2020, they were in Coimbatore and Santana misused his power, as he held a high position in the bank and all cops knew him, and admitted both of them at a private mental hospital, falsely claiming that they needed treatment. They were also given shock treatments in the hospital, because of which Jaisheela developed physical and health issues. Later, they had gone to the Coimbatore police to file a complaint, but they refused because of Santana's influence," the statement read.

Arvind and Jaisheela decided to kill themselves, but he told his mother that their deaths won't change Santana, and they instead planned to kill him, as per the statement. After killing Santana, they threw him off their seventh-floor flat, took bath and cleaned the house. Then they called the society's watchman and told him that Santana had died by suicide, and called the police as well.

‘Will verify claims'

Speaking with mid-day, Inspector Abdul Rauf Shaikh, the investigating officer in the case, said, "We will verify his claims with the Coimbatore police, and also check with the hospital where they were admitted falsely for mental illness. As of now, according to their statements, the reason behind the murder is mental tortured by the deceased. We are checking all the facts."