The Madras High Court (HC) on Wednesday, June 4, refused to transfer murder case of Praveen, a Dalit youth, be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The case will continue to be investigated by Pallikaranai T14 police, headed by Assistant Commissioner (AC) Christin Jayasil. Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan was hearing a petition filed by Praveen’s father V Gopi.
The Madras HC had earlier asked the investigative agency to file their final report with the court.
On February 24, 2024, 22-year-old Praveen, a Dalit man from the Paraiyar community (classified as Scheduled Caste), was murdered for marrying Sharmila who belonged to the Yadava community (Other Backward Caste). The accused were Sharmila’s brother Dinesh (25) and four others, namely, Sriram (19), Vishnu (24), Jothi Lingam (26), and Stephen Kumar (25). Four of the accused, including Dinesh, are caste Hindus from the Yadava community while Stephen Kumar, the fifth accused, is a Christian who also belongs to the Paraiyar caste.
Following Praveen’s murder, on April 22, 2024, Sharmila died by suicide.
The petitioner’s counsel argued that the Pallikaranai police had failed to investigate the involvement of Sharmila’s parents–Durai Kumar and Sarala–and her eldest brother Naresh.
Praveen’s family had earlier told TNM that hours after Sharmila and Praveen eloped in October 2023, Durai Kumar, Sarala, Naresh, and atleast 10 other men, including a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) cadre named Ravi, had entered Praveen’s house. Durai Kumar had reportedly threatened to hire a hitman and kill the couple.
A suicide note, purportedly written by Sharmila, blamed Durai Kumar, Sarala, and her brothers Naresh and Dinesh for Praveen’s murder.
Bhavani B Mohan, the victim’s counsel in Praveen’s murder case, had also told TNMthat Sharmila’s father Durai Kumar is being backed by powerful DMK cadres. He accused the Pallikaranai police of favouring Sharmila’s family, and sought the case to be transferred to either the CB-CID or the CBI.
It may be noted that between June and July of 2024, all the five accused in Praveen’s murder case had been granted conditional bail by the Chengalpattu sessions court. All the five accused were presented with the same bail conditions: a Rs 10,000 bond with two sureties; and a stipulation to report to the court every working day for 30 days. “If the accused thereafter absconds, a fresh FIR can be registered under section 229A of IPC,” bail orders read.
While Dinesh, Sriram and Jothi Lingam followed the order and reported to court every day since being let out on bail, Vishnu and Stephen Kumar absconded. They did not report to the Chengalpattu sessions court even for a day.
The Pallikaranai police did not file an affidavit for cancelling the absconding persons’ bails until August 21, 2024. The Chengalpattu court, on December 20, 2024, more than five months after the two accused had absconded, cancelled their bails and asked the police to nab and present them before the court.
On March 4, 2025, the Pallikaranai police filed an affidavit seeking a prisoner transit warrant after they found that Stephen Kumar was arrested by the Thalambur police in connection with another crime. The sessions court had ordered the police to produce him before the court during the next hearing, scheduled for April 29.
Weeks after Stephen was nabbed, the Pallikaranai police filed a second affidavit seeking a prisoner transit warrant after they traced Vishnu. Vishnu was also arrested by the Guindy police in connection with a different crime, the police in their affidavit said.
All the five accused in Praveen’s case have been charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 302 (murder) and Section 3(2) (v) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The Chengalpattu District Collector is yet to approve the appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor in Praveen’s murder case. The SC/ST Act provides victims of atrocities with specific rights which includes the appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor to represent them in court. While the Act does not stipulate a particular time frame within which the appointment request has to be approved, the Chengalpattu District Collector, who holds the power to approve the appointment, has neither accepted nor denied Praveen’s family’s request to appoint Bhavani B Mohan in the post since May 2024.
Also read: Almost a year on, Chennai caste killing victims Praveen & Sharmila’s cases in limbo