Thoothukudi custodial death: Sathankulam CCTV footage nails police lie in FIR
New CCTV footage that has now emerged from Sathankulam proves that the police had lied in the FIR registered against the arrest of Jayaraj and Fennix, giving credence to the versions of the eye witnesses in the case.
One of the claims in the FIR was that the father and son duo rolled on the ground, which caused the internal injuries that they suffered. But it had became clear that the two men did not roll on the ground.
A CCTV footage from King Electricals, adjacent to the mobile shop of Fennix in Sathankulam, shows a couple of policemen talking casually to Jayaraj, standing casually in front of the shop, for two minutes.
Then the policemen walk away and after some time Jayaraj is seen crossing the road as he was called by the policemen.
Later, a man in a light coloured shirt and a blue lungi is seen going inside the shop of Fennix – he is auto driver Pandi who is said to have told Fennix that his father was taken away by the police. Soon Fennix rushes out and crosses the road with his friend following him.
Soon, the van drives away and Fennix and his friend return to the shop. Then after making calls, Fennix leaves with the friend. The sequence of events began soon after 8 pm, it is told.
But according to the FIR, a police constable went on a patrol to the area around 9.15 pm. “APJ mobiles shop was open beyond the curfew time, violating the lockdown rules. In front of the shop, Jayaraj, Fennix and a few others were standing. We told them not to crowd and go back to their homes. Others listened to us and went home but Jayaraj and his son sat on the ground and refused to go home, used obscene language at us and rolled on the ground. They got internal injuries because of that,” reads the FIR.
Tamil Nadu governor okays CBI probe
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Governor has given his consent to transferring the cases related to the alleged custodial deaths of two traders of Sathankulam in Thoothukudi district, Jayaraj and J. Bennix, last week, for investigation by the CBI.
This follows the Tamil Nadu government's acceptance of the recommendation of the State DGP, Mr. J. K. Tripathy to transfer the cases for investigation to the CBI, a communication from the State Home department tonight said.
The Madurai bench of the Madras High court had earlier in the day said that it was the policy decision of the State Government to transfer the investigations of the cases to the CBI.
The DGP had in his recommendation to the government said the cases should be transferred to CBI in the interests of "free and fair investigation".
