The Central government has issued the notification for the CBI to take over the investigations into the custodial death of Jayaraj and his son Bennix of Sathankulam in Thoothukdudi district on June 22 and 23, accepting the demand of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy.
A State government press release said that the Chief Minister, who had earlier announced that the case would be handed over the CBI, wrote a letter to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, following which the notification had been issued.
As of now, the case relating to killing of Jayaraj and Bennix is being investigated the CB-CID of the Tamil Nadu Police under the orders of the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court. Five police personnel, including an inspector and two sub-inspectors, have been charged under Section 302 of the IPC and arrested.
The court had taken suo moto notice of the case on June 24 after the alleged killing due to police torture inside the Sathankulam police station gave rise to a public outcry and an open demand for immediate action.
Jayaraj and Bennix were taken to the police station on June 19 and tortured in custody before being remanded and lodged in the Kovilpatti sub-jail on June 21. Both of them were subsequently taken to the Kovilpatti General Hospital, where Bennix died on June 22 and Jayaraj on June 24 night.
Even as the case created a stir in civil society, the Chief Minister announced that the investigations would be handed over to the CBI on June 28. However, the court ordered the investigation by the CB-CID to continue till the CBI stepped in.
