Madurai Court's Landmark Verdict to Seal Fate in Sathankulam Custodial Death Case

The First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai will issue its verdict on Monday regarding the notorious custodial death case involving P Jeyaraj and his son J Beniks, both of whom died following alleged police brutality in Sathankulam in 2020. Judge G Muthukumaran is set to deliver the judgment.

The father and son were apprehended on June 19, 2020, by Sathankulam police for allegedly defying lockdown rules by keeping their shop open. After reportedly suffering brutal assaults at the police station, they were shifted to the Kovilpatti sub-jail, where Beniks and Jeyaraj succumbed to their injuries on consecutive days in June 2020.

In a case that has captivated nationwide attention, ten officers including Inspector Sridhar and Sub-Inspectors Balakrishnan and Raghu Ganesh were arrested. The CBI, after being assigned the case on July 7, 2020, filed charges indicating severe custodial torture and attempts to destroy critical evidence. They later clarified that lockdown norms had not been breached by the victims.