Ajith Kumar custodial death: Madras HC dismisses pleas of four police personnel, directs trial completion in nine months

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday (November 4) dismissed petitions filed by four police personnel accused in the custodial death of temple security guard B Ajith Kumar, challenging the trial court's order remanding them in judicial custody. The court also directed the trial court to complete the trial within nine months.

The petitioners are former Manamadurai Deputy Superintendent of Police N Shanmugasundaram, former Thiruppuvanam Inspector SP Ramesh Kumar, Special Sub-Inspector S Sivakumar and Head Constable G Ilayaraja.

In their petitions, they submitted that they had regularly appeared before the trial court and fully cooperated with the investigation. They also contended that they had earlier obtained orders protecting them from arrest.

The case relates to the death of Ajith Kumar, a 29-year-old security guard at the Madapuram Badrakali Amman Temple, who died on June 28, 2025, after being taken into custody by a special police team investigating an alleged jewellery theft. Following public outrage, the Tamil Nadu Government transferred the investigation to the CBI.

The CBI initially filed a chargesheet against six police personnel on August 20, 2025. It subsequently filed a supplementary chargesheet on December 12, 2025, naming four more police personnel, who are the petitioners in the present case, taking the total number of accused to 10.

On September 16, 2026, the V Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai framed charges, including murder under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, against all 10 accused police personnel and remanded the four additional accused in judicial custody.

While ordering their remand, the trial court referred to allegations that the four police personnel had fabricated police records, manipulated General Diary entries and destroyed their mobile phones to conceal evidence. It also recorded the prosecution's allegation that former DSP Shanmugasundaram had attempted to broker a compromise with Ajith Kumar's parents with the assistance of local political functionaries. The CBI further alleged that witness protection provided to Naveen Kumar, the deceased's brother and a key witness, had been withdrawn.

Challenging the remand order, the four police personnel approached the High Court. When the petitions came up for hearing before Justice Murugan, counsel for the petitioners reiterated that they had cooperated with the investigation and had earlier secured protection from arrest.

Counsel appearing for the victim's family opposed the pleas, expressing apprehension that the accused could influence witnesses.

After hearing the arguments, the judge reserved orders. Pronouncing the verdict on Wednesday, the court dismissed all four petitions and directed the trial court to complete the trial within nine months.