Madras High Court Calls It ‘Rare Crime’, Awards Death Penalty in Father-Son Lockup Death Case That Shocked India
Chennai: In a historic and hard-hitting verdict, the Madras High Court has sentenced nine Tamil Nadu police personnel to death in the infamous Sathankulam custodial death case, terming it a “rare crime” marked by extreme brutality and abuse of power.
The case dates back to 2020, when a shop owner and his son were allegedly tortured to death inside a police station in Thoothukudi district during the COVID-19 lockdown, triggering nationwide outrage and calls for police accountability.
Brutal Custodial Torture That Shocked the Nation
The victims, P. Jayaraj (59) and his son J. Bennix (31), were detained by police in Sathankulam for reportedly keeping their shop open beyond permitted hours during the pandemic.
Investigations revealed that both were subjected to severe custodial torture overnight, leading to their deaths. The incident sparked widespread protests across India and drew sharp criticism from civil society and human rights groups.
CBI Probe and Court Findings
Following public outrage, the case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which conducted a detailed probe and filed a 2,427-page chargesheet.
After a prolonged trial spanning nearly six years, the court found nine policemen guilty of murder and related offences, accepting the CBI’s argument that the custodial violence was premeditated and carried out with extreme cruelty.
“This is a rarest of rare case that proves extreme cruelty and abuse of authority,” the court observed while awarding the maximum punishment.
Nine Policemen Awarded Death Sentence
The convicted include Inspector S. Sridhar, Sub-Inspectors P. Raghu Ganesh and K. Balakrishnan, Head Constables S. Murugan and A. Samadurai, and Constables M. Muthuraj, S. Chelladurai, X. Thomas Francis, and S. Velumuthu.
The tenth accused, Special Sub-Inspector Pauldurai, had died of COVID-19 during the trial.
Landmark Judgment on Custodial Violence
The verdict is being seen as a landmark moment in India’s judicial history, reinforcing accountability in cases of custodial violence and misuse of power by law enforcement.
Legal experts say the ruling sends a strong message against custodial torture, emphasizing that no authority is above the law.
