The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday took cognisance of the fact that the investigation in the Sattankulam custodial deaths case of trader P. Jayaraj and his son J. Benicks had resumed and was in progress. Earlier, the team of CBI officials probing the case had tested positive for COVID-19.
Perusing the status report submitted by the CBI, a Division Bench of Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and P. Rajamanickam observed that prima facie the investigation was on the right track and more time was required for scientific analysis of the evidence collected in the case. The court directed CBI to file a further status report in the case.
Further, the court directed the Director General of Police to file a status report with regard to the Standard Operating Procedure to be adopted during arrests. The State had earlier informed the court that a high level panel comprising Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Law Secretary and other stakeholders would convene a meeting in this regard.
With regard to the case of S. Raja Singh, found in a Sub-Jail with multiple injuries allegedly sustained due to custodial torture, the court directed the State to submit a report on the progress made in the investigation in the case. The court directed the status reports be submitted to the court in a sealed cover on September 7.
Counter affidavits were submitted to the court in the contempt proceedings initiated against two police officers D. Kumar, C. Prathapan and a constable Maharajan who had allegedly not cooperated with the Kovilpatti Judicial Magistrate at the time of inquiry. Their appearance before the court was dispensed with till further orders.
Meanwhile, the bail petition of suspended constable Murugan, an accused in the case, which came up for hearing before Justice V. Bharathidasan was adjourned to August 25.
