9 Policemen Awarded Death Sentence in Father-Son Duo Custodial Death Case
Background of Case in Box
Madurai, April 7, KNT: A court in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, awarded the death penalty to nine police personnel convicted in the Sathankulam custodial torture and death case involving a father and son, according to a statement issued by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The court of the First Additional District Judge (ADJ) held the case to be among the “rarest of rare,” citing abuse of authority and the severity of the crime while pronouncing the sentence.
The case pertains to the deaths of Jayaraj and his son Benniks, who were taken into custody by police at Sathankulam Police Station in Tamil Nadu in June 2020. According to the CBI, both were subjected to severe custodial torture during the intervening night of June 19 and 20.
Benniks died on June 22, while Jayaraj succumbed to injuries on June 23 while in judicial custody, the agency said.
Following widespread public outrage and media coverage at the time, the Government of Tamil Nadu transferred the investigation to the CBI for an independent probe.
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After investigation, the CBI filed a chargesheet against nine accused police personnel, including Inspector S. Sridhar and others, under charges related to murder and destruction of evidence. All nine were subsequently convicted by the court prior to sentencing.
During the trial, the CBI argued that the crime constituted a gross violation of human rights and warranted the highest degree of punishment. The agency examined 135 witnesses and presented 52 witnesses in court over a trial that spanned more than five years.
The sentencing marks a significant development in one of the most high-profile custodial death cases in recent years, which had drawn nationwide attention over allegations of police brutality and misuse of authority. [KNT]
Sathankulam Custodial Death Case — Background
The Sathankulam custodial death case dates back to June 2020 in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district, where a father-son duo, Jayaraj and Benniks, were detained by police for allegedly violating COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. They were taken to Sathankulam Police Station on June 19, 2020.
According to investigation findings later presented by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), both were subjected to severe custodial torture during the night of June 19–20. Benniks died on June 22, followed by Jayaraj on June 23 while in judicial custody.
The incident triggered nationwide outrage, with widespread protests and demands for accountability over allegations of police brutality. The Madras High Court took suo motu cognizance of the case, and the Tamil Nadu government subsequently transferred the investigation to the CBI.
The CBI filed charges against nine police personnel for offenses including murder and destruction of evidence. The case became one of the most prominent custodial death cases in India, highlighting concerns over human rights violations and police conduct.
