Sathankulam accused’s plea to turn approver rejected

CHENNAI: The trial court in Madurai on Monday dismissed a plea filed by the jailed police Inspector S Sridhar, the key accused in the father-son Sathankulam custodial death case, seeking permission to turn approver.

The CBI trial court Judge G Muthukumaran dismissed the plea in the case, which is being tried in the District First Additional and Sessions Court in Madurai.

Meanwhile, the counsel on behalf of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the case, raised objections to the plea, citing that there are several direct witnesses in the case and Sridhar himself cross-examined 52 of them.

The counsel said the plea could not be considered when the investigation has reached its final stage, saying that turning at this point in the case can’t be accepted.

The counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner Selvarani, wife of Jeyaraj, said Sridhar had claimed that he was not present at the station when the incident occurred and wondered how he could turn approver, if he hadn’t been a witness to what had happened to determine facts in the case.

He argued it was against natural justice and raised objections to his plea.

Jeyaraj and J Bennix, the father–son duo, died in June 2020, allegedly due to torture inflicted by the Sathankulam police. Jeyaraj, who was arrested on June 19 by the Sathankulam police, died on June 22 as a result of alleged physical torture by the police personnel.

His son, Bennix, who approached the Sathankulam police station following the arrest of Jeyaraj, also suffered similar physical torture and died in the morning of June 23, 2020.

Ten cops, including Sridhar, were arrested in the case after the custodial deaths created a big hue and cry.