CBI files chargesheet against 9 for custodial death of father-son

Chennai, September 26

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday filed a chargesheet against nine then officials of the Tamil Nadu Police in connection with two cases it registered over the custodial death of father-son duo P. Jeyaraj and J. Benniks.

A CBI spokesperson said that the agency filed the chargesheet against 9 then police officials—S. Sridhar, then Inspector and SHO, K. Balakrishnan, then SI, P. Raghuganesh, then SI, AS. Murugan, then HC, A. Samadurai, then HC, AM. Muthuraja, then Constable, S. Chelladurai, then Constable, X. Thomas Francis, then Constable and S. Veilumuthu, then Constable—all from Sathankulam Police Station in Tamil Nadu. The agency filed the chargesheet in a Madurai court under several sections of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the CBI official one accused, then a Sub Inspector, died during investigation. The CBI registered two cases on July 7 related to the allegations of custodial death of the father-son duo of traders in Tamil Nadu’s Kovilpatti on the request of the Tamil Nadu government and further notification by the Centre.

After registering the case, a CBI team camped continuously at Madurai and worked on the cases even through the Covid-19 pandemic.

“CBI investigation revealed that the father-son duo were arrested in the evening of June 19 and allegedly tortured at the Sathankulam Police Station by the accused in the evening as well as in the intervening night, consequent to which both of them succumbed to the injuries and died in the intervening night of June 22-23,” the official said. — IANS