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In a dramatic turn of events in the 2020 Sathankulam custodial deaths case that shocked Tamil Nadu, suspended police inspector S Sridhar, the first accused in the case, has filed a petition before the I Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai seeking permission to turn approver and testify against his fellow officers.
Sridhar, currently lodged in Madurai Central Prison, submitted the plea earlier in May, requesting the court to pardon him and allow him to become a prosecution witness. He expressed his willingness to “disclose all the true events” that occurred on June 19, 2020, the day when P Jeyaraj and his son J Bennix were allegedly tortured to death at the Sathankulam police station.
Trial judge G Muthukumaran has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the case, to file a response and adjourned the matter to July 24.
The plea comes weeks after Sridhar’s seventh bail application was dismissed by the Madras High Court, which cited the grave nature of the charges against him. Sridhar’s statement, if accepted, could significantly impact the ongoing trial involving nine other suspended policemen.
Jeyaraj and Bennix, owners of a mobile shop, were arrested on June 19, 2020, for allegedly violating COVID-19 lockdown norms. They died within days of their arrest due to injuries allegedly sustained during brutal custodial torture. The incident triggered nationwide outrage and calls for urgent police reforms.
According to the CBI chargesheet and forensic reports submitted to the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, both victims were subjected to prolonged, inhuman torture. DNA evidence collected from the police station’s lock-up, toilet, station house officer’s room, and lathis matched the victims, corroborating allegations of physical assault.
The document revealed that inspector Sridhar not only participated in the torture, but instigated other officers to “teach Bennix a lesson”. The victims were allegedly stripped, held down, and beaten with lathis for hours. The assault led to severe injuries.
Of the 10 police officials initially arrested, nine continue to face trial after one died of COVID-19. Despite the overwhelming evidence and public outrage, the case has dragged on for over four years. Human rights groups have criticised the delay in both judicial and departmental action.