VIDEO: 'Thrilling' Midnight Arrests: How CBCID Arrested Santhankulam Police Officers in a Dramatic Operation? - Details!

i Bench of Madras High Court consisting of a two- member bench of Justices which was headed by Justices P.N. Prakash and B. Pugalendi heard the Sathankulam Custodial Death case on June 30. The bench cited that there is a possibility of evidence being tampered with and hence requested an interim transfer of the case to the Crime Branch- Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID). The Case papers were handed over to the CB-CID on June 30.

On July 1, the CB-CID formed 12 special teams and conducted inquiries with multiple persons involved in the case including the family of Jayaraj and Benniks, the doctor who examined them at the Sathankulam government hospital and the woman police official who had been witness to their assault at the Sathankulam police station.

The CB-CID teams first visited the victim’s mobile shop and then checked the place from where the father was picked up. Then the teams were split into two. One team went to Benniks’ home and spoke to the victim’s mother and the second team headed to Sathankulam Police station.  A team went to Kovilpatti sub jail where the father and son were lodged till the day they died. 

In the evening, friends of Bennics’ friends shared details about the incident. They also submitted the photos and videos of the incident they had as proof. 

The CB- CID has arrested five policemen in connection to the case so far. While suspended inspector Srithar, sub-inspector Balakrishnan and constable Muthuraj were arrested early Thursday morning, SI Raghu Ganesh and head constable Murugan were arrested late Wednesday night. Srithar was in charge of the Sathankulam police station at the time of the incident.

Sub Inspector Ragu Ganesh, was arrested by CB-CID on Wednesday whereas the other three were arrested early morning on Thursday. Reportedly, residents celebrated the arrest of Sub Inspector Ragu Ganesh by bursting firecrackers. 

He was produced before the Thootukudi Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in the early hours of Thursday. After he was certified as fit by the doctors, the CJM remanded him to the Perurani district jail till July 16.

IG Shankar told the media, “We have changed the charges to include murder charges. We are talking to other people and will take action post inquiry. In the preliminary investigation has led us to narrowing down on four people. We will see how the case progresses.”