State, judiciary appear caste-biased, doubts mom of honour killing victim

THOOTHUKUDI: Kavin Selva Ganesh’s parents were shocked when the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court granted bail to Jeyapaul, the fourth accused in the honour killing case.

The bail came days after they called off their indefinite protest on October 10, following an assurance from Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar and Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu that the State would appeal against the order quashing the chargesheet against the parents of the prime accused.

“Now, we have serious doubts about whether the State and the judiciary are acting in a caste-biased manner to dilute the case and help those who killed my son in the name of caste honour go unpunished,” said A Tamilselvai, Kavin’s mother, to DT  Next.

Kavin, a Scheduled Caste from Arumugamangalam near Eral in Thoothukudi district, was in a relationship with S Subhashini, a Siddha doctor from Tirunelveli. The Tirunelveli police arrested her younger brother Surjith for Kavin’s murder on July 27, 2025. The police later arraigned Surjith’s cousin, Jeyapaul, and Surjith’s parents, Saravanan and Krishnakumari, as co-accused.

On September 29, 2026, the High Court quashed the CB-CID charge sheet against the second and third accused, Saravanan and Krishnakumari. Counsel for Jeyapaul informed the court of this, but the court declined to quash the case against Jeyapaul.

“Has Jeyapaul done any service to the nation for the court to cite the delay in completing the trial as a reason for granting him bail?” Tamilselvai asked.

She said Jeyapaul had actively participated in the conspiracy, preparation and execution of the honour killing, adding that he helped his cousin Surjith, the main accused, destroy the clothes and remove the registration number plate of the two-wheeler at Jeyapaul’s quarry at Pappankulam.

The court, however, observed that the allegations against Jeyapaul pertained only to intimidation and aiding in the screening of evidence after the occurrence.

“Is it not ironic that the judge has cited the quashing of charges against Surjith’s parents to grant bail to Jeyapaul?” asked Tamilselvai, who broke into tears, saying she had not slept properly for the last one and a half years.

So far, neither Kavin’s family nor the advocate fighting their case has received any official communication from the two Ministers or their offices that an appeal has been filed. “The Ministers told us they would file the appeal within a week and inform us. But so we have not received any communication from them,” she said.

She expressed apprehension that Jeyapaul, now released on bail, might threaten the witnesses, as the second accused, Saravanan, had done after his release. A case in this regard was registered against Saravanan by the Dharapuram police station.

Referring to the Sathankulam custodial deaths case, in which the CB-CID investigated the accused while they remained in jail, Tamilselvai asked why the agency could not do the same in this case. “It only shows the caste bias of the police,” she claimed.

She further alleged that ever since the CB-CID began investigating Kavin’s murder, officials had been indirectly telling them that it was sufficient to punish the main accused, Surjith, and leave the others out. “That is why we asked for a reinvestigation of the case, but the court ruled that out too,” she said.

Tamilselvai, who is receiving support from various political and civil society members in her fight for justice, said she would first meet Chief Minister Joseph Vijay and request him to ensure justice in the case soon. “If we don’t get a proper response, I will not rest until I get justice,” she said.