CHENNAI: A Madurai District Court on Monday (March 23) found all nine police personnel guilty in the 2020 Sathankulam custodial deaths of father-son duo Jeyaraj and Bennix. It affirmed key CBI findings, noting their injuries were “contrary to natural causes” and indicative of custodial torture. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on March 30.
The court also recorded that the duo’s hands were tied up while they were repeatedly assaulted, with the CBI chargesheet stating they were beaten at 10-minute intervals through the night on a table. One of the police personnel reportedly even remarked that they could get "practice in beating" with the duo.
On June 19, 2020, Jeyaraj (59) and his son Bennix (31) were picked up by the Sathankulam police on the allegation that they had kept their mobile phone shop open beyond the permissible hours during the lockdown. The duo were then allegedly subjected to brutal assault at the police station throughout the night and remanded to the sub-jail in Kovilpatti the following day.
Jeyaraj died the next morning, while Bennix succumbed to injuries on June 22.
The court, while pronouncing the verdict on Monday, also noted that, as per the CBI, the duo had not violated lockdown norms and that a false case had been registered against them.
Following the Sathankulam custodial deaths, 10 police personnel, including the then inspector Sridhar, were arrested in connection with the custodial deaths. One of the officials died during the trial.
Days after the deaths, the CB-CID launched its probe, which was later handed over to the CBI. The central agency initially filed a 2,027-page charge sheet and later submitted a 400-page charge sheet before the trial court.
The agency had alleged that Inspector Sridhar instructed his subordinates to “teach Bennix a lesson,” following which both were subjected to multiple rounds of custodial torture. Their clothes were reportedly removed during the assault, adding to the brutality.