A man has given evidence at a murder trial of being “shocked” after a friend told him that he had killed his wife and that her body was in their Cork home.
Regin Parithapara Rajan (43), who is from Kerala in India, has gone on trial at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Cork charged with the murder of his wife Deepa Dinami at their home in Wilton in the city in July of 2023.
Mahesh Murali first became acquainted with Mr Rajan in their native India. He told the trial today that he was standing outside the home of the accused in the case on the evening of July 14th, 2023 when he stated that that he had killed his 38-year-old wife.
“Regin wanted to talk to me in private. We came out the front door. In our local language, he told me ‘I killed my wife and you can call the police and she is on top.’ I understood from this she was on the first floor. I was just shocked and shattered.”
Mr Murali gave evidence that Mr Rajan said that he had “stabbed her (Deepa) with a knife.” He said that he asked his friend to call the police. He indicated that he also called 999 and that the emergency services arrived at the scene.
Mr Murali said he didn’t know the accused very well before moving to Ireland in 2023. They had worked at the same company in Kerala and spoken to each other on Teams calls. However, when Mr Murali and his wife Sreeja moved to Cork, they were informed that Regin and his wife Deepa were also relocating there.
He got to know the defendant better as Mr Rajan settled into life in Cork with his wife Deepa and their five-year-old son. Mr Murali said that Mr Rajan spoke to him about concerns that he had about his marriage. He allegedly told him that he and Deepa were “quarrelling”.
Mr Murali said that the accused claimed that his wife was “scolding him for simple things” and that she was “looking for a divorce.” Mr Murali said he had urged Regin to give his wife time and space.
He said that at one point, Mr Rajan sent him a screenshot, which he claimed was from his wife’s phone. In the screenshot, she (Deepa) allegedly stated that her status was separated but not divorced and that she was “looking for someone I can have good conversation with, to begin with.”
Brian McInerney, SC, for the defence, asked Mr Murali if the defendant was concerned that his wife was in contact with other men. Mr Murali stated that was the case. When asked if Mr Rajan was ‘upset’ about his marriage Murali indicated that his friend was worried for the future of his marriage. He said that Rajan was “disappointed and depressed” about his relationship
He said that from what he knew of Deepa, she was “outgoing and smart.” It was his understanding that Mr Rajan did not want his marriage to end.
Meanwhile, the trial also heard evidence on Tuesday from Sreeja Sumanagala, the wife of Mr Murali. She said she was with her husband at the property in Cardinal Court when Mr Rajan allegedly confessed that he had killed his wife.
She said that initially, she thought that her husband was experiencing chest pain after his private conversation with the accused.
“Mahesh was rubbing his chest. I thought, ‘he has chest pain.’ He was completely shattered. He told me what Regin had said. I couldn't even unlock my phone. I was shivering. Mahesh was shattered. I hadn’t seen him like that before.”
Ms Sumangala said that she asked Mr Rajan “why did you do that?” She indicated that the accused replied: “She (Deepa) was not good.”
The trial also heard from relocation agent Karyn Allan, who said she had sourced the property in Wilton for Deepa and Regin when they moved to Ireland. She described Regin as “quiet and shy.” She said she was very fond of Deepa, whom she found to be “outgoing and bubbly”. She stated that Deepa was confident and friendly.
The trial will continue on Wednesday before Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford and a jury of five men and seven women.
