Sathankulam father-son custodial deaths: A court in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district on Monday handed over death sentence to nine police personnel for their role in the 2020 custodial deaths of P Jayaraj and his son, J Benicks in Thoothukudi’s Sathankulam. The verdict came nearly six years after the incident that triggered nationwide outrage and demands for accountability during police custody. 

Court terms case the ‘Rarest of rare’ crime

The court termed the case as one of the ‘rarest of the rare’ crimes and underscored the brutality inflicted upon the victims. It remarked, “Father and son stripped, ruthlessly assaulted. Heart shudders reading about it,” highlighting the extreme nature of the custodial torture. The bench also stressed that while the case represented a grave abuse of authority, it should not cast aspersions on the integrity of the wider police force, as many officers continue to serve with honesty. 

Sathankulam father-son custodial deaths: CBI took over probe

Following directives from the Madras High Court (HC), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had taken over the probe from the state police. It had sought the harshest penalty, citing overwhelming evidence and witness testimonies. 

According to the prosecution, the victims were subjected to severe physical assault, including beatings with weapons, amounting to a shocking violation of human rights that ‘shook the collective conscience’ of the society. 

Details of the case

The case dates back to June 19, 2020, when Jayaraj and Benicks, who ran a mobile phone shop, were arrested for allegedly keeping it open beyond permitted hours during the COVID-19 lockdown. Notably, the claim was later found to be unsubstantiated. The duo was taken to the Sathankulam police station and was subsequently remanded to judicial custody. Within days, both the father and the son died, and their kin alleged they sustained overnight torture. Grievous injuries and signs of severe abuse were found on their bodies. 

Woman cop’s testimony earns breakthrough in case

A key breakthrough was achieved during the case’s probe, when a woman police constable testified that the duo was assaulted overnight, and bloodstains were found on furniture and police equipment. Investigators also faced hurdles, including the deletion of the CCTV footage from the police station. As many as 100 witnesses were examined during the trial, which extended over five years, culminating in the conviction of the nine accused cops.

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