The Thoothukudi district police arrested head constable of Sathankulam police station, Muthuraj, who was absconding, on Friday night. The head constable was arrested at Vilathikulam and handed over to the CB-CID at their office in Thoothukudi.
The police were on the lookout for Muthuraj, following the arrest of four police personnel including the inspector of the police station, in the Jayaraj-Bennix custodial deaths case.
The Superintendent of Police Thoothukudi, S Jeyakumar confirmed the arrest to TNM.
On Friday, Muthuraj who was on the run, was arrested by the Thoothukudi police in Vilathikulam.
Inspector Sridhar, sub-inspector (SI) Bala Krishnan and head constable Murugan were already arrested on Thursday morning by the CB-CID. On Wednesday night, Sub Inspector Raghuganesh was the first person to be arrested by the CB-CID special wing in the case.
The case was transferred to CB-CID probe based on the autopsy report of Jayaraj and Bennix, statement of woman constable in the Sathankulam police station and the report of Kovilpatti judicial magistrate produced in the High Court.
The CB-CID also questioned the family members of Jayaraj and Bennix and the woman constable.
Jayaraj and his son Bennix died due to alleged custodial torture at the Sathankulam police station. Bennix complained of chest pain and died on June 22, while his father also died in the wee hours of June 23.
On June 29, the 26 police officers of the Sathankulam police station were transferred. The 26 police personnel were of the ranks of one inspector, two sub inspectors and 23 personnel of other ranks. The SP (Superintendent of Police), ADSP (Addl. Superintendent of Police) and DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police) were also transferred from Thoothukudi.
The Kovilpatti magistrate went to Sathankulam police station to record the statement of the police on June 29, when a constable made a disparaging remark against the magistrate. The court suo motu took the case.
The only woman constable, meanwhile, revealed that the police hit the father-son throughout the night. The recordings of the statement have been submitted at the Madras High Court by the Kovilpatti magistrate.