Face2News/Madurai

Madurai court awarded death penalty to nine police persons accused of custodial torture and causing death of father and son namely Jeyaraj and Benniks. The court upheld that the case is a clear instance of abuse of authority and falls in the rarest of the rare cases. 

The case dates back to 19.06.2020 wherein father and son duo were wrongfully confined by the accused police officials of Santhankulam PS. Both father and son were mercilessly beaten and brutally tortured by the accused police officials during the intervening night of 19 and 20th June 2020. Later Benniks succumbed to injuries on 22nd and Jeyraj on 23rd June while in judicial custody. 

Government of Tamilnadu transferred the case to CBI following public outrage and media coverage for fair investigation. CBI filed charge sheet against nine ( 09) accused persons namely S. Sridhar, Inspector the then SHO, PS Sathankulam, P. Raguganesh, SI, K. Balakrishnan, SI, S. Murugan, HC, S. Chelladurai, PC, M. Muthuraja, PC, A. Samadurai, HC, X. Thomas Francis, PC, S. Veilumuthu, PC after a thorough investigation within 90 days. 

All the accused persons were earlier convicted of the charges of murder and destruction of evidence

The quantum of sentence was pronounced today. During trial CBI argued that the crime is a gross violation of human rights which had shaken the conscience of society. CBI cited 135 witnesses and examined 52 witnesses to prove the case in the trial spanning over 5 years and had pressed for highest degree of punishment.