The High Court sentenced nine policemen to death for torturing a father and son to death in the police station.

New Delhi: A significant and important verdict has been issued in the infamous Sathankulam custodial killing case of 2020. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has sentenced nine Tamil Nadu policemen found guilty in the case to death. The court, considering the incident to be the “rarest of rare,” imposed this harsh punishment.

The verdict was delivered after a six-year trial. The case was heard in the court of First Additional District and Sessions Judge G. Muthukumaran, who convicted all nine accused of murder and other related charges. The court stated in its verdict that the case was an example of extreme brutality and abuse of power.

The case relates to Sathankulam in Tuticorin district, where businessman P. Jayaraj and his son J. Bennicks died in custody. Both were detained by the police on June 19, 2020, for violating COVID-19 lockdown rules. The allegation was that they had kept their mobile accessory shop open beyond the stipulated time.

The investigation revealed that they were subjected to continuous and brutal assault in custody. They were tortured throughout the night, resulting in serious injuries. According to reports, both suffered blunt force trauma and massive bleeding, which led to their deaths. The incident sparked nationwide outrage. People questioned violence in police custody and demanded justice. The matter became so serious that the investigation was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The CBI found in its investigation that the torture was premeditated and continued throughout the night. The investigating agency argued in court that the accused committed the crime intentionally, and therefore deserved maximum punishment. The court accepted the CBI’s argument.

Among the nine policemen convicted in this case, Inspector S. Sridhar, Sub-Inspectors P. Raghu Ganesh, and K. Balakrishnan. Head Constables S. Murugan and A. Samadurai, and Constables M. Muthuraj, S. Chelladurai, X. Thomas Francis, and S. Velumuthu are also included.

A tenth accused in this case, Special Sub-Inspector Pauldurai, died of COVID-19 during the trial. The court clearly stated in its verdict that this case was not a typical crime, but one that involved extreme brutality and abuse of power by the police. Therefore, it was categorized as the rarest of rare, warranting the death penalty.

This verdict is not only considered a major step towards justice for the victim’s family, but also sends a strong message about incidents occurring in police custody across the country. It makes it clear that no one is above the law, even law enforcement agencies. This entire incident has once again raised the question of what further steps should be taken to ensure the safety of people in police custody. This matter has been under discussion for a long time, and this decision has now brought it back into the spotlight.