Trial Continues in Death of Deepa Dinamani as Husband Claims Fatal Stabbing Was Accidental
Cork: The Central Criminal Court has heard testimony from Regin Rajan (43), who stands accused of fatally stabbing his wife, Deepa Dinamani (38), at their Cork home on July 14, 2023. Rajan claims the incident was accidental and occurred during a heated argument, stating he had no intention of killing his wife and had only tried to stop the bleeding following the stabbing.
In his testimony, Rajan described a troubled marriage marked by frequent arguments and emotional strain. He said that in the days leading up to the incident, Deepa appeared distant and preoccupied, often speaking on the phone and allegedly keeping his passport from him. Rajan claimed he felt trapped and emotionally distressed and admitted to consuming alcohol to cope.
Rajan recounted that on the day of the incident, he approached Deepa in their bedroom to retrieve his passport. According to him, Deepa became confrontational and produced a knife, which she had purchased earlier to clean fish. During the ensuing struggle, Rajan said the knife accidentally cut Deepa’s neck, leading to a fatal wound stretching from the ear to the throat.
Rajan stated he was in shock and unable to respond effectively and claimed he did not speak to Gardaí afterward out of fear, citing a Netflix documentary he had watched about prison systems. He denied ever intending to harm Deepa and maintained that the stabbing was unintentional.
Prosecution: Act Was Planned, Not Accidental
The prosecution has strongly disputed Rajan’s version of events, arguing that the murder was premeditated. The court heard evidence that Rajan had:
- Purchased the knife involved in the incident.
- Searched online for information about knives and Irish prison conditions.
- Moved the couple’s young son out of the house prior to the incident.
- Used dating websites, including eHarmony, Bumble, Hinge, and Match.com.
The prosecution also referenced a note found in Deepa’s bedroom, allegedly apologising for her murder. Rajan has denied writing the note, asserting that the handwriting was not his, and claimed he did not send any messages from Deepa’s phone after her death.
During proceedings, it was revealed that Deepa had been engaged in an online relationship with Prasad Jayaratnam, an Indian national living in London. The two had connected through Match.com, where Deepa’s profile stated she was separated but not divorced. Jayaratnam testified remotely, explaining that while they had exchanged messages and voice calls, they had never met in person. He described Deepa as a caring individual devoted to her son and stated she had described her marriage as the biggest mistake of her life.
Jayaratnam clarified that although he had expressed interest in meeting Deepa, it never progressed beyond conversations, and any meeting would have likely been casual.
Digital Forensics and Search History
Phone analyst Susan Cronin provided key forensic evidence, detailing Google searches made by both Deepa and Rajan in the days leading up to her death:
- On July 5, 2023, Deepa searched for how to clear WhatsApp chats and detect if her account was being tracked.
- On July 6, Rajan searched for information on carving knives.
- On July 10, he searched for information related to prisons in Ireland, including facilities and conditions.
- The court also heard that Deepa had previously questioned how to hide online conversations.
As the trial continues, the court will further evaluate.
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