This story is from July 9, 2020

Sathankulam custodial deaths: CBI to probe cops for murder, destroying evidence

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) late on Tuesday registered two cases in the custodial deaths of P Jeyaraj and his son J Beniks who were allegedly tortured by the Sathankulam police in Tuticorin district on June 19. Special crimes unit-1 of the CBI in New Delhi is probing the case. Vijay Kumar Shukhla, additional SP, CBI, will be in charge of the investigation.
Sathankulam custodial deaths: CBI to probe cops for murder, destroying evidence
J Beniks (L), P Jeyaraj
CHENNAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) late on Tuesday registered two cases in the custodial deaths of P Jeyaraj and his son J Beniks who were allegedly tortured by the Sathankulam police in Tuticorin district on June 19. Special crimes unit-1 of the CBI in New Delhi is probing the case. Vijay Kumar Shukhla, additional SP, CBI, will be in charge of the investigation.
Based on the first FIR registered by Kovilpatti east police station in the case, the CBI has registered cases of suspicious deaths under Section 176 (1-A)(1) of the CrPc.
Kovilpatti sub-jail superintendent M Shanker is the complainant in the case.
However, the agency has added suspected offences like illegal detention, murder and destruction of evidence in the FIR. Jeyaraj and Beniks were arrested by Sathankulam police on June 19 night and tortured all through the night. They died two days later in judicial custody. The two were lodged in the sub-jail on June 20. Beniks was shifted to Kovilpatti government hospital on June 22 night on complaints of wheezing. He died in a while. Jeyaraj was also rushed to the same hospital on June 22 night and he succumbed a few hours later.
The CBI FIRs have not taken cognisance of the progress made by the state CB CID in the case. CB CID has already registered murder charges against former Sathankulam inspector Sridhar, two SIs Balakrishnan and Raghu Ganesh and constables Murugan and Muthuraj. All the five have been arrested and are under suspension. They are lodged in Madurai central prison. The CB CID on Wednesday questioned five more policemen who were on duty at Sathankulam police station on June 19 night. Asked whether they would be arrested, CB CID IG K Shankar said it was too early to comment.
The CBI has taken over the case based on a request form the state government. A Central government notification in this regard was issued on Tuesday. A CBI team has left Delhi for Tamil Nadu to carry out the investigation, said a senior official in Delhi. The CBI will take over the case diary and evidences from the CB CID team, following which, the central agency is expected to convert the suspicious deaths into murders. With that, the CB CID probe will come to an end. “Since the CBI team has not yet contacted us, we are progressing with the investigation,” said a CB CID official on Wednesday evening. The Madurai bench of the Madras high court had entrusted the investigation with the CB CID as an interim measure – till the CBI stepped in - to prevent destruction of evidences by the culprits involved in the case. A judicial magistrate’s report about the hostile approach of police officials and constables at Sathankulam police station during the inquest had prompted the court to bring in CB CID into the investigation.
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