Sathankulam case: SSI Paldurai tests COVID positive

Bennicks and Jeyaraj died on June 22 and 23 respectively at a government hospital after being rushed from prison in Kovilpatti town following complaints of health issues. The two were arrested on June 19 for "violating" lockdown norms over the business hours of their cell phone shop and lodged in the prison after a court remanded them to judicial custody a day later.

CBCID, which was earlier handling the enquiry of the controversial custodial death of father-son duo, Jeyaraj and Bennix, had charge-sheeted 10 policemen and arrested 5 including Assistant Inspector Raghu Ganesh, SI Balakrishnan, Chief Constable Murugan and Sathankulam Police Inspector Sridhar. The CBI which later took it over after the Tamil Nadu government transferred the investigation to the central agency, altered the FIR of the father and son custodial death to murder.

Further to it, 5 more policemen who were posted in Sathankulam police station during the incident, were arrested too. Sources confirmed that, Special Sub-Inspector Balthurai, who was arrested and has been lodged in the Madurai jail, has contracted corona infection.

It is to be noted that 4 investigating officers of CBI also tested positive a few days ago and are under isolation.