Argus News - Nine Tamil Nadu Policemen Sentenced to Death in Custodial Brutality Case

Chennai, Apr 6: A court in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district on Monday sentenced nine policemen to death in connection with the custodial deaths of trader P Jayaraj and his son J Benicks in Thoothukudi district.

The incident, which occurred six years ago, had sparked nationwide outrage and renewed calls for police accountability.

The case dates back to June 19, 2020, when Jayaraj and Benicks, who owned a mobile phone shop, were arrested for allegedly keeping their shop open beyond permitted hours during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The claim was later found to be false. The two men were taken to the Sathankulam police station and remanded to judicial custody. Within days, both died under suspicious circumstances.
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Relatives alleged that the father and son were brutally assaulted overnight at the police station, pointing to severe injuries including rectal bleeding. Their deaths drew widespread condemnation and demands for justice.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) later took over the probe from the state’s CB-CID following directions from the Madras High Court. Ten policemen, including an inspector, two sub-inspectors, and several constables, were arrested. The CBI subsequently charged them with murder.

A crucial breakthrough in the investigation came from the testimony of a woman constable, who reportedly told investigators that Jayaraj and Benicks were assaulted through the night.

She also noted blood stains on tables and lathis inside the station.

Investigators faced challenges, including the deletion of CCTV footage from the Sathankulam police station, which was allegedly set to erase automatically each day and was not preserved.

The verdict, sentencing nine officers to death, marks a rare and significant ruling in custodial death cases in India.