Jayaraj-Bennix custodial death: Witness appears before Madurai district court

Velmurugan had initially said he cleaned the bloodstains of Jayaraj and Bennix when the police allegedly tortured them.

This statement got the CBI to include Velmurugan in the case as a witness.

The Tamil Nadu Police and the state government are already being pilloried for the rising number of cases of custodial death in recent times.

On 19 June 2020, the Sathankulam police took in Jayaraj and Bennix, alleging that they had defied the pandemic-induced lockdown by keeping their mobile shop open.

The police registered a case against the father and son under Sections 188, 383 and 506 (II) of the IPC and lodged them at the Kovilpatti Sub-jail.

Bennix suffered bleeding as the police officials inserted a baton into his anus, said his relatives. He died at the Kovilpatti Government Hospital.

Jayaraj was admitted to the same hospital by the police following a complaint of chest pains while in custody. He, too, died at the hospital.

Following people’s agitation and political pressure, the Tamil Nadu Police, ordered by then Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The CBI then arrested nine police officers involved in the custodial death, of which one cop died due to Covid-19 on 10 August 2020.

On 17 February this year, the Madurai court dismissed the plea of suspended Sub-Inspector P Raghu Ganesh, whom the CBI arrested in connection with this case.

Advocate Rajiv Rufus told South First that the judge had adjourned the case to 1 July.