The Madras high court on Tuesday appointed an inquiry officer into the Sivaganga custodial death case and allowed a CB-CID probe into the matter.
The death of 29-year-old Ajithkumar, picked up in connection with a theft complaint, has sparked outrage across Tamil Nadu.
Henry Tiphagne, the lawyer who argued the case at the Madras high court bench in Madurai, said the court appointed Madurai 4th additional sessions judge John Sunderlal Suresh as the enquiry officer.
"All files, evidence should be handed over to him within 2-3 days. He will submit a report on July 8," Tiphagne, also a social activist, told reporters.
The court also allowed the CB-CID to investigate the matter, after the probe was transferred to the agency earlier in the day, he added. The agency will also submit a status report later.
With a "special team" operating under the Manamadurai DSP being involved in the incident, the official concerned has been placed under suspension, the government side informed the court, Tiphagne said.
Tiphagne further said it was submitted in the court that the "special team" picked up Ajithkumar without filing an FIR and thrashed him on different occasions and different places under the guise of an inquiry. At the last location, a cowshed belonging to a temple in Madappuram in Sivaganga, he was thrashed using pipes and sticks.
Chilly powder was thrown on his eyes and mouth, he alleged.
The family of the alleged custodial death victim had filed a writ petition in the HC, seeking a direction to the authorities concerned to register a murder case in connection with the incident.
Meanwhile, the opposition in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday mounted pressure on the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagm over the custodial, demanding a CBI or SIT probe into the matter, even as the state government initiated action against the policemen, including the district police chief.
The matter also came up before the Madras high court bench in Madurai. The victim's counsel told reporters that a video purportedly showing policemen in plainclothes assaulting the victim, Ajithkumar has been submitted before the court.
The government made it clear nobody involved in the incident would be spared, even as it pointed out that action has been already initiated in the matter.
The principal opposition party, All India Anna DMK demanded a CBI probe into the custodial death, saying people have lost faith in the state police.
AIADMK chief and Leader of Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami, slammed Chief Minister MK Stalin over the incident and said "people and us" don't believe the "drama" enacted by the CM on the matter.
Referring to reports, Palaniswami claimed that the post-mortem on the victim revealed a number of injuries on his body and called it a "murder that happened due to police atrocity."
In a social media post, he said, "Some media may believe in your drama like holding review meeting or transferring the case to the CB-CID. Whether the people or us -- we just don't believe in the drama."
There was no safety for the public in DMK rule, he charged.
"People have no faith in the fake police FIR. Therefore this case should be transferred to the CBI," he added.
He also held the CM "responsible" for the incident and demanded answer.
AIADMK workers staged protests in different towns in the state, demanding justice for the victim. They held placards that said "Justice for Ajithkumar."
Actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay sought the constitution of a special investigation team to probe the matter.
People had many questions over the death of Ajithkumar, he said in a post on 'X.'
BJP Tamil Nadu president Nainar Nagenthiran wrote to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking an inquiry into the custodial death of Ajithkumar and similar such incidents in Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, addressing a press meet in Chennai, CM Stalin said action has been taken in connection with Ajithkumar’s death.
"Action has been taken, arrests have been effected... action has been taken against higher official also," he said referring to the government placing the district police chief of Sivaganga under "compulsory wait" in connection with the incident.
The government on Tuesday placed the superintendent of police, Sivaganga, under "compulsory wait", while five policemen have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Ashish Rawat, IPS, has been "placed on Compulsory Wait at the O/o the Director General of Police/HoPF, Tamil Nadu, Chennai," a home department note said.
G Chandeesh, IPS, SP, Ramanathapuram, will hold additional charge of Sivaganga, the note from Dheeraj Kumar, additional chief secretary, added.
Ajithkumar of Tiruppuvanam in Sivaganga was picked up by the local police, reportedly in connection with a theft case earlier. His death later had sparked an outrage, with political parties slamming the government over the issue.
Five policemen have been arrested in connection with the incident.
An official release late on Monday said that six personnel had been placed under suspension on June 28.
A due probe was launched into the matter and following the post-mortem report received on Monday night, the next course of action was initiated "without any delay", it said.
Subsequently, murder charges were invoked and "five policemen involved in the matter have been arrested," it said.
Meanwhile, state Law Minister S Reghupathy said the CM has made it clear nobody involved in the incident will be spared.
"There is no compulsion to protect anyone," he told reporters in Pudukottai.
In Madurai, the counsel representing the victim's side in the HC bench demanded action against all concerned officials.
On the video claimed to be that of the policemen assaulting Ajithkumar, which later went viral, he said it has been submitted before the court.
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