Jeyaraj-Bennicks case: Madras HC directs police to provide protection to eyewitness

"We have booked five police personnel from the Sathankulam Police Station for the murder of the father-son duo," the Crime Branch of Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID), which is probing the case, told the court on Thursday.

On protection to the female police officer who is an eyewitness in the Thoothukudi custodial death case, S Murugan, IG, South Zone said that protection to the eyewitness has been provided as per high court orders.

"We have provided security cover to her under Madras High Court's direction. CB-CID is probing the case and the guilty will be brought to justice," he told the reporters.

A woman police constable Revathy, at the Sathankulam police station, in her deposition before Bharathidasan had said that Jeyaraj and Bennicks were beaten with batons throughout the June 19 night.

According to Bharathidasan's report, Revathy also said the victims' blood stains were on the batons of the station police officials and on tables.

She said the batons and the tables should be secured so that the evidence is not lost, the report stated.

Expressing fear that she may be targeted later, Revathy was initially reluctant to sign a printout of her statement but later on being assured of her safety she signed the document.

The CB-CID arrested Inspector Sridhar in connection with the alleged custodial deaths of a father-son duo on Thursday. The Inspector has been charged under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. A total of five policemen have been arrested so far in connection to the incident.

Previously, the CB-CID arrested three more policemen, Sub Inspector Balakrishnan and constables Muthuraj and Murugan.

Sub Inspector Ragu Ganesh, who was under suspension, was arrested on Wednesday.

Jayaraj (59) and his son J Benicks (31), were arrested on June 19 and lodged in Kovilpatti sub-jail for keeping their mobile phone shop in the Sathankulam main bazaar area open during a curfew imposed during coronavirus lockdown.

They were admitted to the Kovilpatti government hospital on June 22. While the son died on the same night, the father breathed his last on June 23 morning.