The CBI and the CB-CID on Monday submitted status reports before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court in the cases pertaining to Sattankulam custodial deaths of trader P. Jayaraj and his son J. Benciks and the custodial torture of Raja Singh. Both the cases involved the same accused policemen.

While the CBI submitted an additional status report in the case of custodial deaths of Jayaraj and Benicks, the CB-CID probing the custodial torture case of Raja Singh submitted that so far 28 witnesses were examined and 12 documents collected, and the investigation was progressing.

A Division Bench of Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and P. Rajamanickam was informed that the experts from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) were unable to visit the site due to the COVID-19 situation and their engagement in actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case, it was submitted. The case was adjourned till September 22.

During the course of the hearing, the State submitted that a Standard Operating Procedure was issued for policemen to follow with regard to enforcing lockdown and other measures. Counter affidavits were also filed by the three policemen against whom contempt proceedings were initiated for not cooperating with the judicial inquiry.