Do not prolong Sathankulam custodial deaths case: Madurai bench of Madras High Court
Jeyaraj and his son Bennix, who were brutally tortured by the police at the Sathankulam station, which eventually led to their deaths.
DTNEXT Bureau
Madurai bench of Madras High Court (File)
MADURAI: The Madurai bench of Madras High Court says not to drag on the Sathankulam custodial death case after hearing a plea, sources said on Saturday.
Jeyaraj and his son Bennix, who were brutally tortured by the police at the Sathankulam station, which eventually led to their deaths. The incident occurred in June 2020.
Also Read: Sathankulam case: Jeyaraj, Bennix died at the hands of cops, ex-IO tells court
Jailed Sub Inspector of Police Raghu Ganesh, who’s facing criminal charges in the case of custodial deaths in Sathankulam, Thoothukudi district, filed a petition seeking to cross-examine Judicial Magistrate Sakthivel, who submitted a hundred-page report in his testimony to CBI, which is probing the case. The CBI submitted the report before the Court. The petitioner Raghu Ganesh said he is being jailed in a central prison, in Madurai and the case is under trial in the District Court, Madurai, and Sakthivel, the Magistrate, was the 36th witness in the case from the government side. Earlier, the trial court dismissed a plea seeking to cross-examine Sakthivel. Citing this, the petitioner sought the High Court to consider his prayer for cross-examining Sakthivel. Counsel on behalf of CBI said on several occasions earlier nods were given to cross-examine the witnesses, but nothing could be done and hence, this petition should be dismissed.
Justice G. Ilangovan, after the hearing, questioned the possibility of cross-examining the Magistrate while the hundred-page report of testimony was submitted in the open court. It seems that the petitioner wants to drag on the case by seeking cross-examination of witnesses. Citing these, the Judge said orders would be pronounced and adjourned the case further.
