Rajakumari (Idukki): Police have reportedly cracked the recent double murders in a cardamom estate here. It was indeed estate supervisor Panjiparambil Bobin who killed its owner and worker, a couple in custody have told the police. Search for Bobin – who left Santhanpara in Sunday evening – is on in Tamil Nadu and parts of Wayanad.

The couple – Isravel and wife Kapila – had sheltered the suspect at their house at Cheriyar, Shantanpara, after the murders. They will be charged on Wednesday. The couple had helped Bobin get his hand injury checked at a hospital in Nedukandam. They also got him new clothes and a SIM card. The police have received images of them procuring the SIM card, even though the number is switched off now.

Bobin had made Rs 1.5 lakh from selling cardamom on Saturday after the murder. The couple has confessed receiving Rs 25,000 from him.

Estate owner Jacob Varghese, 40, and worker Muthayya, 55, were killed on Saturday. Though two guns have been recovered from the estate, none of them had been fired recently. The police are yet to retrieve the murder weapon used to kill Jacob.

Post-mortem reports said Jacob was shot on chest and back. Muthayya had deep cuts on his forehead and back of the head from a sharp weapon. The injury on Bobin’s hand is supposed to be a sustained during a tussle with one of the victims.

Bobin had mostly kept to himself since returning from a string of menial jobs in Ernakulam a couple years ago.

Jacob’s SUV was found abandoned near St Maria Goretti Church, Murikkumthotti. Forensic experts inspected the vehicle.

Jacob was living alone in a house in the middle of the 40-acre estate. Muthaiah used to assist him during harvest.

Jacob, who also owns the Rhythms of My Mind resort at Naduppara, had been to his native place for Christmas and returned on the New Year day to the estate. He had called home on Friday.

The family lodged a man missing complaint on Saturday. Since they could not reach Muthaiah also on the phone, they travelled to the estate where they found the bodies.

Jacob, son of Dr K K Varghese and Dr Suseela Varghese, was abroad and had returned four years ago. He is survived by his wife Kesia and daughter Nadaniya.

Muthaiah's wife is Muthumari and children Pavithra and Pavan Kumar.