Sattankulam accused face one more case of custodial torture

Close on the heels of the sensational case involving the deaths of trader P. Jayaraj, 58, and his son J Benicks, 31, at the Sattankulam police station, another case has surfaced with a remand prisoner accusing police of beating him badly. A fresh case has been registered against the same two sub-inspectors arrested in the alleged murders of the father-son duo.

According to police sources, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court took suo motu cognisance of the report of the principal district judge, Thoothukudi, that one Raja Singh of Melapalayam, an inmate of the sub-jail, Kovilpatti, had suffered “serious” injuries and was under treatment and directed the chief judicial magistrate, Thoothukudi, to conduct an inquiry.

Acting on the court’s instructions, the chief judicial magistrate recorded the statement of Raja Singh, an accused in a criminal offence, and sent the report to the inspector, Sattankulam police station. A case was registered against sub-inspectors Raghu Ganesh, Balakrishnan and others on charges of wrongful restraint, causing hurt, torturing suspect to confess and trespass, police sources said. The case was handed over to a Deputy Superintendent of Police rank officer for investigation, the sources added.