TUTICORIN/MADURAI: The CB-CID team probing the custodial deaths of P Jeyaraj of Sathankulam and his son J Beniks arrested three more police personnel — suspended Sathankulam inspector Sridhar, SI Balakrishnan and constable Murugan — on Thursday for their alleged role in the custodial torture and death of the duo. In all, five cops including SI Raghu Ganesh have been slapped with murder charges. Ganesh was arrested on Wednesday. Constable Muthuraj is still at large.
The addition of Sridhar’s name in the FIR has come as a surprise as he was not initially suspended. He was kept on compulsory wait till public pressure mounted on the government forcing it to suspend him. A CB-CID official, who is part of the investigation, said, “In our inquiry, we found Sridhar is directly involved in the case. It was at his behest that Jeyaraj and Beniks were tortured.” They were questioned all through the day before they were taken to Thoothukudi government medical college hospital for check-up. They were produced before the chief judicial magistrate in Tuticorin late in the evening. They have been remanded in judicial custody till July 16. Twelve special teams formed by CB CID IG K Shankar are probing various angles of the case.
Sridhar, who was on the run for the last few days out of fear of being questioned, was arrested at Gangaikondan check post on Thursday early morning. High drama preceded his arrest. Sridhar, who was going from Virudhunagar to Tirunelveli, did not stop his vehicle when police tried to block him at Kayathar check post. The vehicle was later intercepted at Gangaikondan check post by another police team.
Meanwhile in the Madurai bench of Madras high court, when the suo-motu proceedings on the custodial deaths was taken up on Thursday, additional advocate general (AAG) K Chellapandian said CB CID officials had altered the cases to murder under section 302 of IPC and that four police personnel were arrested so far.
When a division bench of Justice P N Prakash and Justice B Pugalendhi asked about the protection given to the woman head constable Revathy, the AAG submitted that one month leave with pay had been given to Revathy. He also said that two policewomen and two policemen were deployed for protection of Revathy and her family members.
The judges called head constable Revathy over phone, who said Tuticorin district collector had provided her and her family members with sufficient security and that she felt safe in her native village with her relatives around her.
The judges told her to contact Tuticorin chief judicial magistrate (CJM) or Kovilpatti judicial magistrate (JM) in case she feels there is threat to her.
The court also directed the CJM to conduct an inquiry about Raja Singh, another inmate of Kovilpatti sub-jail, who sustained injuries during custodial torture. The judges said that if the CJM was of the opinion that full-fledged investigation was required, CJM shall direct the station house officer to conduct investigation. The judges said that after an FIR is registered, the superintendent of police shall transfer the investigation to Tuticorin deputy superintendent of police.
The judges said that since Kovilpatti JM was conducting inquest in the Sathankulam case and bearing in mind the fact that a case of such gravity had to be dealt with by a judicial officer of the rank of a subordinate judge, the CJM should exercise the powers of the Kovilpatti JM. Hence, the judges nominated the CJM as Tuticorin JM III and the investigating officer shall approach the JM III whenever he wants to record a statement of any person under section 164 CrPC.
Direction was also given to deputy director of prosecution, Tirunelveli range, to guide the investigating team on matters relating to law.
The addition of Sridhar’s name in the FIR has come as a surprise as he was not initially suspended. He was kept on compulsory wait till public pressure mounted on the government forcing it to suspend him. A CB-CID official, who is part of the investigation, said, “In our inquiry, we found Sridhar is directly involved in the case. It was at his behest that Jeyaraj and Beniks were tortured.” They were questioned all through the day before they were taken to Thoothukudi government medical college hospital for check-up. They were produced before the chief judicial magistrate in Tuticorin late in the evening. They have been remanded in judicial custody till July 16. Twelve special teams formed by CB CID IG K Shankar are probing various angles of the case.
Sridhar, who was on the run for the last few days out of fear of being questioned, was arrested at Gangaikondan check post on Thursday early morning. High drama preceded his arrest. Sridhar, who was going from Virudhunagar to Tirunelveli, did not stop his vehicle when police tried to block him at Kayathar check post. The vehicle was later intercepted at Gangaikondan check post by another police team.
Meanwhile in the Madurai bench of Madras high court, when the suo-motu proceedings on the custodial deaths was taken up on Thursday, additional advocate general (AAG) K Chellapandian said CB CID officials had altered the cases to murder under section 302 of IPC and that four police personnel were arrested so far.
When a division bench of Justice P N Prakash and Justice B Pugalendhi asked about the protection given to the woman head constable Revathy, the AAG submitted that one month leave with pay had been given to Revathy. He also said that two policewomen and two policemen were deployed for protection of Revathy and her family members.
The judges called head constable Revathy over phone, who said Tuticorin district collector had provided her and her family members with sufficient security and that she felt safe in her native village with her relatives around her.
The judges told her to contact Tuticorin chief judicial magistrate (CJM) or Kovilpatti judicial magistrate (JM) in case she feels there is threat to her.
The court also directed the CJM to conduct an inquiry about Raja Singh, another inmate of Kovilpatti sub-jail, who sustained injuries during custodial torture. The judges said that if the CJM was of the opinion that full-fledged investigation was required, CJM shall direct the station house officer to conduct investigation. The judges said that after an FIR is registered, the superintendent of police shall transfer the investigation to Tuticorin deputy superintendent of police.
The judges said that since Kovilpatti JM was conducting inquest in the Sathankulam case and bearing in mind the fact that a case of such gravity had to be dealt with by a judicial officer of the rank of a subordinate judge, the CJM should exercise the powers of the Kovilpatti JM. Hence, the judges nominated the CJM as Tuticorin JM III and the investigating officer shall approach the JM III whenever he wants to record a statement of any person under section 164 CrPC.
Direction was also given to deputy director of prosecution, Tirunelveli range, to guide the investigating team on matters relating to law.
Coronavirus outbreak
Trending Topics
LATEST VIDEOS
More from TOI
Navbharat Times
Featured Today in Travel
Get the app