9 Tamil Nadu Policemen Sentenced to Death for 2020 Father-Son Custodial Torture and Killing

The Madras High Court bench in Madurai on Monday sentenced nine Tamil Nadu Police personnel to death in the 2020 Sathankulam custodial killing case, calling it a “rarest of rare” crime marked by extreme brutality and abuse of power.

Delivering the verdict after a six-year trial, Justice G Muthukumaran found all nine accused guilty of murder and related charges in the deaths of trader P. Jayaraj (59) and his son J. Benniks (31). The court accepted the findings of the Central Bureau of Investigation, which held that the custodial torture was premeditated and carried out through the night, warranting the maximum punishment.

Those convicted include inspector S. Sridhar, sub-inspectors P. Raghu Ganesh and K. Balakrishnan, head constables S. Murugan and A. Samadurai, and constables M. Muthuraj, S. Chelladurai, X. Thomas Francis and S. Veilumuthu. A tenth accused, special sub-inspector Pauldurai, died of COVID-19 during the trial.

The case had sparked nationwide outrage in 2020. Jayaraj and Benniks were detained on June 19 for allegedly keeping their mobile accessories shop open in violation of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Investigators later found they were subjected to prolonged and brutal torture inside the Sathankulam police station, suffering severe injuries, including blunt-force trauma and heavy bleeding.

According to the probe, Jayaraj was picked up around 7:30 pm from Kamarajar Chowk, and Benniks followed the police to the station after learning of his father’s detention.

Victims died of torture-related injuries

A judicial magistrate’s report documented 18 serious injuries on the victims’ bodies, while a final postmortem by a team of three doctors confirmed that Benniks died due to complications arising from blunt-force injuries sustained during custodial torture.

The assault reportedly continued for several hours. The chargesheet described how the victims were stripped and repeatedly beaten with lathis while being restrained, leaving them unable to defend themselves. Their clothes had to be changed multiple times as they were soaked in blood.

The CBI also noted that Jayaraj had pleaded with the officers to stop, citing pre-existing medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Attempt to destroy evidence

Investigators found that the accused attempted to destroy evidence following the assault. A false case was allegedly registered to cover up the crime. Both victims died days later in custody at the Kovilpatti Sub Jail on June 22 and 23, intensifying public outrage.

The probe also revealed that police personnel initially resisted handing over key evidence, including the lathis used in the assault, with one officer even fleeing the station. Some officers allegedly recorded videos during the investigation and attempted to intimidate the judicial team.

The agency concluded that the accused, acting with common intent, inflicted severe injuries fully aware of the likely fatal consequences. The case led to the arrest of 10 police personnel and reignited nationwide concerns over custodial violence and police accountability in India.