Crime branch CID has arrested four cops on Thursday morning in connection to the custodial death of father-son duo in Sathankulam police station in Tamil Nadu. On Tuesday, Madras High Court has asked the CB-CID officials to take the probe from Tuticorin police until CBI takes the charge.
Five policemen have been arrested so far in the matter. Fresh arrests include Sub Inspector Balakrishnan, constables Muthuraj and Murugan, and Inspector Sridhar. Sub Inspector Ragu Ganesh was arrested on Wednesday morning who was earlier suspended in connection to blocking the probe.
While addressing the media houses, Shankar, Inspector General (CB-CID) stated, “FIRs have been altered to 302 IPC. 12 special teams under IG and SP (CB-CID) are investigating all angles. We have changed the charges to include murder charges. We are talking to other people and will take action post inquiry. In the preliminary investigation has led us to narrowing down on four people. We will see how the case progresses. ”
CB-CID has induced some modifications in the two FIRs in context to one each for the death of the father-son duo of Jayaraj and Bennix in order to include murder charges against the two SIs, constables, and two others.
Earlier the police have only lodged the cases of suspicious deaths.
Day-by-day, the investigation team is getting the leads and unturning a new chapter proving all the police claims and clarifications fake ones.
After the post-mortem report of the two was submitted before Madras High Court, the bench had asked the CB-CID Tirunelveli Inspector General of Police to investigate the matter until it is transferred to CBI. In post-mortem report, it is revealed that there were serious injuries caused to the bodies of Jayaraj and Bennix. Taking cognizance of the postmortem report and physical torture, Madurai bench of Madras HC considers it a prima facie to file murder charges against the cops.
After that, CCTV footage covering the surrounding of Jayaraj’s phone shop was recovered proving the police claims false. While it is alleged that the police has deleted the CCTV footage of Sathankulam police station which can throw more light on the incident.
The investigation team has got another lead, a key witness. A woman constable told the Judicial magistrate M S Barathidasan that Jayaraj and Bennix were beaten throughout the night on June 19. She also mentions the bloodstains on lathis and table and asked the magistrate to recover them immediately. The court has provided full protection to the witness and her family.
The custodial death of father-son duo, Jayaraj and Bennix, has led to a huge outrage in the country. Sathankulam police officials arrested them on June 19 for the violation of lockdown rules imposed in a view to contain the COVID-19 spread as they kept their shop open 15 minutes above the allowed hours.
Bennix was admitted to the hospital on June 22 and died at around 9 PM. His father Jayaraj also lost his life a few hours later on June 23 morning at 5.40 AM.
The family of the deceased alleged that they are brutally tortured citing all the internal and external injuries, rectal bleeding, and other wounds.
