How Suchana Seth, CEO arrested for son’s murder, was caught

| Updated: 09 January, 2024 5:24 pm IST

NEW DELHI: A tragic turn of events unfolded in Goa when Suchana Seth, the CEO of a Bengaluru tech startup, was arrested for the murder of her four-year-old son. The case involved chilling details which included bloodstains, quick-thinking hotel staff, a composed cab driver, and a chilling discovery that led to her arrest and subsequent police custody for six days.

Senior police officer Nidhin Valson, speaking to reporters in Panaji, acknowledged the swift actions of the hotel employees and the taxi driver, recognising their pivotal roles in the case.

Details surrounding this horrific incident remain murky, leaving many questions unanswered, particularly regarding the motive behind a mother’s devastating act against her own child. However, what is confirmed is that the child was killed in a Goa hotel room, his body concealed in a bag later found in the cab Seth hired to travel back to Bengaluru.

The grim sequence began on January 6 when the CEO, accompanied by her son, checked into a service apartment in Candolim, Goa. Two days later, she checked out alone, carrying a large bag that concealed her son’s lifeless body.

The tragedy took a shocking turn as Seth opted for a nearly 600-kilometre cab ride to Bengaluru despite suggestions to take a quick flight. Her refusal raised suspicions, prompting the hotel staff to take notice of the unsettling situation.

FLASH: Suchana Seth, CEO of a Bengaluru-based AI startup, apprehended in Goa for the alleged murder of her 4-year-old son.
She was caught attempting to flee in a cab with the child’s body concealed in a bag.

Police cite “estranged relationship” with husband as a potential… pic.twitter.com/pSGVqAUNL2

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Her arrest unfolded in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district, approximately 200 kilometres from Bengaluru. Alerted by bloodstains found during room cleaning at Sol Banyan Grande, the police began tracking the cab, engaging the driver discreetly in Konkani, hoping to prevent Seth from realising their intentions. Eventually, the cab was directed to a police station where the grim discovery was made.

The police highlighted Seth’s strained relationship with her husband, describing it as ‘less than cordial’. They said, “She is married. She is working as the CEO of an AI company, but this information needs further verification. The case is in the initial stages of investigation and requires more efforts to confirm the motive.

“However, prima facie, when our investigating officer spoke to the lady, she mentioned that her relationship with her husband is not good, the divorce process is ongoing, almost finalised, and there was some court order that distressed her. Interrogation is ongoing; we have to take her to court… The motive is still not confirmed; that’s what she told our investigators.”

Details regarding a court order that allegedly affected Seth’s mental state remain undisclosed. Additionally, the child’s body awaits a post-mortem examination at a Karnataka government hospital, while forensic teams continue to gather evidence from the hotel premises.

“We’ll have to read the court order; then we can say something more. Her husband is out of the station; we have asked him to come to India. She arrived on the 6th. We are bringing the accused here; so far, no weapon has been found. The hotel staff immediately informed us; we reached there. The body was found inside the luggage; local police preserved it. Our team is there; we will conduct the postmortem at the Chitradurga government hospital,” police informed.