CB-CID submits report to Madras HC in Jayaraj-Bennix custodial death probe

A total of 10 police personnel from the Sathankulam police station have so far been arrested and remanded in the Madurai Central jail.

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Chennai: The Tirunelveli CB-CID has submitted their status report on the Tuticorin Jayaraj-Bennix investigation (father-son custodial death case), in a sealed cover to the Madurai branch of the Madras High Court. 

The case has been adjourned for August 17 and the Court has also directed the CBI team that has arrived from Delhi to submit a similar report.

In suo-motu hearings of the case of the custodial deaths of the father-son duo, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court has passed several orders to speed up the delivery of justice. 

In line with these orders and the ensuing investigation, a total of 10 police personnel from the Sathankulam police station have been arrested and remanded in the Madurai Central jail. 

Initially, the CB-CID, led by DSP Anil Kumar was tasked with handling the case before a team of CBI officers from Delhi took it over. 

The major breakthrough in the case was because of a woman constable of the Sathankulam Police Station, who despite facing intimidation from her male colleagues (as per the magistrate’s report), informed the Judicial Magistrate regarding the torture that took place in the station and the evidence connecting the same. 

During a hearing on Tuesday, the court condemned three police personnel from the Sathankulam station for having threatened and insulted Judicial Magistrate Bharathidasan who had visited the station during the initial probe. 

The lawyer representing the State Government also informed the court that the Tuticorin district judge was monitoring the progress of the investigation. 

The Court had earlier ordered the CBI and CB-CID to file their respective status reports in a sealed cover before July 28. 

However, since a few CBI officers who were investigating the case are under treatment after contracting COVID-19, the court has given them until August 17 to file their status report.