In a landmark verdict, all nine accused policemen have been convicted in the 2020 Sathankulam custodial deaths case, where a father and son died due to alleged police torture, marking a significant step towards justice and accountability.
Key Points
- All nine accused policemen have been found guilty in the Sathankulam custodial deaths case of 2020.
- P Jayaraj and his son J Benicks died in custody in 2020 following alleged police torture.
- The Madurai court declared the prosecution had proven its case against the accused policemen.
- The sentencing of the convicted policemen is scheduled for March 30.
- The CBI investigated the case, filing a chargesheet and supplementary report.
A local court in Madurai on Monday held guilty, all the nine accused policemen in the case of custodial torture of a man and his son, leading to their deaths at Sathankulam in Thoothukudi district in the year 2020.
The First Additional District and Sessions Court Judge G Muthukumaran declared that the prosecution has proven its case and held the policemen guilty. The quantum of sentence to the convicted policemen will be pronounced on March 30, the judge said.
On June 19, 2020 mobile phone shop owner P Jayaraj (59) and his son J Benicks (31) were taken to Sathankulam police station in connection with alleged violation of norms to prevent spread of coronavirus pandemic. The father and son died on June 23 at Kovilpatti subjail following alleged brutal custodial torture at the police station.
The case, which includes the charge of murder, against 10 policemen, including Inspector S Sridhar, Sub inspectors K Balakrishnan, P Raghuganesh, Head Constables, S Murugan and A Samidurai was initially probed by the CB-CID and it was later taken over by the CBI. The incident had caused a major public outrage in the state then.
There were 105 witnesses, including Selvarani (wife of Jeyaraj) then Sathankulam police woman head constable R Revathi in the case. As many as 116 documents were marked which includes the judicial inquiry reports on the deaths of Jayaraj and Benicks.
One of the accused, Special SI A Pauldurai died during the pendency of the case and 9 others including Sridhar continued to be in Madurai Central Prison.
The CBI initially filed a chargesheet and later a supplementary report which together was nearly 2,500 pages. Attempts of the accused to secure bail proved futile during the nearly 6-year old trial of the case.
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