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Chennai, April 6 (Udaipur Kiran): A sessions court in Madurai on Monday sentenced nine policemen to death in the Sathankulam custodial death case, terming it a “rarest of rare” crime involving extreme brutality and abuse of power.
The court also directed the convicts to pay a compensation of Rs 1.40 crore to the families of the victims. The case dates back to 2020 and the trial continued for six years. A total of 10 accused were involved, of whom one died during the COVID-19 period.
The incident occurred on June 19, 2020, when police detained mobile shop owner P. Jayaraj (59) and his son J. Bennix (31) for allegedly keeping their shop open during the lockdown. They were taken to Sathankulam police station and later sent to judicial custody, where both died within a few days.
Family members had alleged that the father and son were brutally assaulted throughout the night in custody, with visible signs of severe injuries and bleeding on their bodies.
A CBI probe, initiated following directions from the Madras High Court, confirmed custodial assault. The agency had arrested 10 accused, including an inspector, sub-inspectors, and other police personnel, and filed murder charges against them.
During the investigation, a woman constable stated that the victims were beaten the entire night. Bloodstains were reportedly found on tables and lathis inside the police station, which became crucial evidence in the case.
First Additional District and Sessions Judge G. Muthukumaran accepted the CBI’s argument that the victims were subjected to planned torture in custody and awarded the maximum punishment. The probe also revealed that CCTV footage from the police station was not preserved, as recordings were automatically deleted daily, leading to the loss of key evidence.
Among the nine convicted policemen are Inspector S. Sridhar, Sub-Inspectors P. Raghu Ganesh and K. Balakrishnan, Head Constables S. Murugan and A. Samadurai, and Constables M. Muthuraj, S. Chelladurai, X. Thomas Francis, and S. Velumuthu. The tenth accused, Special Sub-Inspector Pauldurai, died of COVID-19 during the trial.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
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