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The Madras High Court’s judicial inquiry has confirmed that the death of 27-year-old temple security guard B Ajith Kumar in Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district was a case of custodial death. Following this finding, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to appoint an investigating officer within one week to take over the probe and submit a final report by August 20.
A division bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and AD Maria Clete directed that the CBI officer must submit the final report to the jurisdictional court by August 20. The court also instructed the officer to collect critical material including the inquiry report submitted by Fourth Additional District Judge, Madurai, S John Sunderlal Suresh, post-mortem findings, and related judicial documents from the Registrar Judicial of the High Court and the Judicial Magistrate concerned.
According to The Hindu, the Inspector General of Police (South Zone) and the Superintendents of Police of both Madurai and Sivaganga districts have been directed to assist the CBI team. Further, the Tamil Nadu State government was ordered to provide protection to witnesses under the Witness Protection Scheme.
The court’s observations came while hearing a batch of public interest litigations (PILs) filed in connection with the case. The state government informed the court that a government order had already been issued to formally hand over the custodial death probe to the CBI. The government further stated that, in line with the same principle of transparency, it intended to transfer the investigation into the alleged jewellery theft — the basis of Ajith Kumar’s arrest — to the CBI as well.
The court was informed that a separate government order would be issued shortly to facilitate this transfer. The move, the state said, would ensure that both the custodial death and the related theft allegation are investigated by an impartial central agency, free from any local interference.
Ajith Kumar was arrested on June 27 in connection with a jewellery theft and was taken to a cowshed, where he was allegedly beaten. He died the next day. A video that surfaced online showed him being repeatedly beaten with a stick, leading to public outrage.
The post-mortem report revealed 44 injuries on Ajith’s body, including deep muscle contusions, haemorrhages in internal organs, and signs of prolonged blunt force trauma, all strongly indicative of torture. Contrary to earlier police claims that Ajith died of an epileptic seizure during an escape attempt, the medical findings suggest he was beaten to death.
The High Court also expressed concern over video clippings of court proceedings being shared on social media in violation of the Madras High Court Video Conference Rules, stating that it would address this issue separately.
The Tamil Nadu government has already suspended six police personnel, arrested five members of a special team, and suspended the DSP of Manamadurai. Sivaganga SP Ashish Rawat has been transferred and placed on compulsory wait, while Ramanathapuram SP G Chandeesh has taken over additional charge of Sivaganga district.
The court also noted that the family of the deceased had been extended limited relief: Ajith’s brother, Naveen Kumar, was given a free house patta and a job in Aavin, Karaikudi. However, the bench directed the State to obtain instructions on providing interim compensation, and posted the matter for hearing later in the day.
