Tamil Nadu custodial deaths: S Revathy gives statement to Tuticorin CJM

TUTICORIN: Head constable S Revathy, one of the key witnesses in the custodial torture of P Jeyaraj, 58, and J Beniks, 31, at the Sathankulam police station in Tuticorin district on June 19 night appeared before Tuticorin chief judicial magistrate S Hema for recording her statement under Section 164 of the CrPC on Friday.
Revathy, who is on one-month leave out of fear for her life from her former colleagues, was taken to the CJM’s court by CB-CID team investigating the case.Her testimony before a judicial magistrate will strengthen the case against former inspector, two SIs and two constables of the police station who have been charged with the two murders. Revathy was later questioned at the CB-CID office in Tuticorin.
Meanwhile, constable Muthuraj who has been on the run was nabbed by the Tuticorin district police in a village near Vilathikulam late on Friday. The former head constable of the Sathankulam station was traced based on the bike he was using. A police team led by Vilathikulam DSP Beermohideen traced the vehicle to Poosanur village near Vilathikulam around 9.45 pm. He was found hiding in a house and was secured around 10pm. He was handed over to the CB-CID at their office in Tuticorin.
The investigating agency is also probing the role of Friends of Police volunteers in the alleged custodial torture. Some of them were at the police station when the incident happened.
Meanwhile, in Tiruchendur, judicial magistrate M S Bharathidasan continued his inquest. Nurses at Sathankulam government hospital who were present when the deceased were treated there on June 20 appeared for the inquest on Friday.