THOOTHUKUDI: Sub inspector Raghu Ganesh was arrested in Thoothukudi late Wednesday night in connection with the deaths of Sathankulam traders P Jeyaraj and his son J Beniks while in custody last week.

According to the CB-CID sources investigating the case, the SI is among the six people -- four Sathankulam police personnel and two Friends of Police volunteers -- booked for murder by the CB-CID.

The case is set to come up for hearing at the HC Bench on Thursday. The arrest comes just a day after Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the CB-CID to begin an investigation into the deaths.

Advocate Manimaran, Beniks' friend, who was witness to the alleged assault of the victims, reacted to news of the arrest stating that the father and son would "rest in peace only after all the police officers and others involved in the deaths are arrested".

The State government had transferred the case to the CBI but the HC feared that evidence might be lost or tampered by the time central agency began a probe. The CB-CID was, therefore, ordered to begin its probe in the meanwhile. 

CB-CID K Inspector General of Police K Shankar arrived in Thoothukudi on Wednesday and visited the mobile accessories shop owned by Beniks at Sathankulam. The sleuths also questioned a trader in the adjacent shop.

The team then visited the house of the victims and conducted a preliminary inquiry with Jeyaraj’s three daughters and their husbands, and Jeyaraj’s widow Selvarani. 

At that time, Shankar had told the reporters that the investigation had just begun and that the decision to invoke murder charges would be taken based on the progress of the investigation.

Twelve special teams had been formed to probe the case, and they had started their investigation, he had said.

Shankar later conducted inquiries at the Sathankulam police station, where the victims were held and allegedly thrashed through the night of June 19.

Friends and eyewitnesses who met the duo the next day when they were produced before a magistrate said they were both grievously injured and bleeding profusely.

The father and the son were remanded at Kovilpatti sub-jail on June 20. Beniks died shortly after being brought to Kovilpatti Government Hospital on the night of June 22 while Jeyaraj died at the hospital the next morning.