Sathankulam custodial deaths: Madurai court convicts 9 policemen in father-son murder

Madurai: In a landmark verdict that brings partial closure to one of Tamil Nadu’s most shocking custodial death cases, the First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai on Monday convicted nine police personnel for the murder of father-son duo P. Jayaraj and J. Bennix in Sathankulam in 2020.

Pronouncing the judgment, Judge G. Muthukumaran held that the prosecution had established beyond doubt that the accused policemen were responsible for the custodial torture that led to the deaths of the two victims.

The court has scheduled sentencing for March 30.

It also directed both the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government to submit detailed reports on the health condition, salaries, and asset statements of the convicted officers ahead of sentencing.

The case dates back to June 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown, when Jayaraj and his son Bennix, who ran a mobile accessories shop, were allegedly detained by the Sathankulam police for keeping their shop open beyond permitted hours.

They were taken into custody on June 19 and were reportedly subjected to brutal assault at the police station. Bennix succumbed to his injuries on June 22, while Jayaraj died the following day, triggering nationwide outrage over custodial violence.

Initially investigated by the Tamil Nadu Police, the case was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to ensure a fair probe.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and observed that there was a prima facie case of murder.

It also flagged attempts to destroy evidence and ordered an immediate CB-CID investigation before the case was handed over to the CBI.

Charges were framed under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including murder, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence, and wrongful confinement.

While 10 officers were originally accused, one of them, Special Sub-Inspector Pauldurai, died during the trial due to Covid-19.

In its verdict, the court rejected the defence claim that the injuries were self-inflicted, relying on post-mortem findings that pointed to repeated and severe assault.

It further ruled that Jayaraj’s pre-existing heart condition was not the cause of death, affirming that both deaths were the direct result of custodial torture. The judgment is widely seen as a significant step towards accountability in cases of police excesses.

IANS