Chennai: The Central Bureau of Investigation has formed a team to investigate the deaths of a father-son duo in police custody in Sathankulam in Tuticorin district.
The team has proceeded to Kovilpatti where the FIR has been filed for investigation. The Centre gave its nod to the CBI to take over the case.
The case was being investigated by CB-CID who arrested ten policemen in the case.
The CBI plans to probe into the custodial torture against Jeyaraj and his son Bennix who were brutally beaten by policemen inside the police station on 19 July. They will also investigate policemen tampering with evidence in the case.
So far, Inspector Srithar, sub-inspector Balakrishnan, SI Raghu Ganesh and head constable Murugan and constable Muthuraj are facing charges. Five other policemen were arrested for being part of the custodial torture.
It may be noted that on 19 June, Sathankulam police picked up Jeyaraj for keeping his shop open beyond the curfew time. His son Bennix went to the police station with his friends to find out what happened.
What transpired later was brutal violence by the police meted out to the duo and the duo’s blood soaked clothes were sent to their house. Contrary to eye-witness accounts, police maintained an incorrect version in the FIR which was proved wrong when the CCTV visuals came out. It was confirmed as a case of custodial death after a woman constable present on night duty gave her statement to the magistrate.
The arrested police men are lodged at Madurai Prison.