Tamil Nadu High Court: Enough Evidence In Tuticorin Custodial Deaths To Register FIR Against Cops
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court observed on Tuesday that on the basis of the post mortem report of the father son duo, Jayaraj and Bennix, the alleged victims of police torture in the Tuticorin custodial death case, that there is enough prima facie evidence to register an FIR against the Santhankulam cops involved. The High Court bench observed that several injuries were found on the bodies of the two men which could be taken as prima facie evidence for filing an FIR against the cops.
The post-mortem reports of Jayaraj and his son, Bennix, were submitted to the High Court on Tuesday.
Madurai Bench of Madras High Court asks Tirunelveli IG if it will be possible to take up the case until it is handed over to CBI. Postmortem report presented before the court. Judges say that there are grounds for registering a case against the police officials. https://t.co/thDPGyHJKG
— ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2020
The High Court further asked the IG of Tirunelveli Range if it would be possible for them to take up the case until it is handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The High Court which had summoned Thoothukudi DSP and Additional SP gave the officers 4 weeks to submit an explanation to the contempt charges they are facing in the case. The Kovilpatti magistrate who was entrusted with the task of inquiry by the court, cited lack of cooperation by the Santhankulam police. The High Court directed the District Collector to take custody of the case material.
The Tamil Nadu government, meanwhile, issued an order transferring the case of the custodial deaths of Jairaj and Bennix to the CBI. The case was earlier registered at Kovilpatti East police station.