the story So Far:
In Sattankulam, businessman P. Jayaraj and his son J. Nearly six years after Bennix’s custodial torture deaths, First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai Will pronounce verdict in the case on March 23, 2026 (Monday).
A terrible crime took place in Sattankulam in June 2020Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, during the nationwide COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. This shocked civil society and triggered widespread protests.
Madurai Bench of Madras High Court The police took suo motu cognizance of the crime and passed several directions. The then AIADMK government transferred the investigation of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Altogether 10 police personnel were made accused in the case. One of them died after getting infected with COVID-19. CBI has prosecuted nine policemen.
What happened on the day of the incident?
On June 19, 2020, Jayaraj, who was at his son Bennix’s mobile phone sales and service showroom, was picked up by the police for allegedly violating COVID-19 lockdown norms.
It is said that on the night of 18 June 2020, when some workers were waiting for their wages in a nearby shop, the police abused them and asked them to leave from there. Jayaraj heard the verbal abuse from the workers and asked them to wait for a few more minutes. A police head constable gave this information to his colleagues.
The next day in the evening the police picked up Jayaraj from the shop. Seeing this, Bennix reached Sattankulam police station and appealed to the police to release his father. The police verbally and physically abused Jayaraj at the police station. Bennix intervened. Later, both of them were tortured by the policemen throughout the night in the police station. He suffered serious injuries.
He was detained in the police station. The family members were told that the father and son would be released the next morning. The family was asked to bring new clothes.
However, on June 20, 2020, the traders were taken to Sattankulam Government Hospital for medical examination. His blood stained clothes were changed. Following this, he was produced before the Sattankulam Judicial Magistrate and sent to judicial custody. He was kept in Kovilpatti sub-jail.
The father and son were taken to Kovilpatti Government Hospital after they developed health complications.
On June 22, 2020, Bennix’s bleeding went out of control and he became unconscious. He died in the hospital. On June 23, 2020, Jayaraj complained of chest pain. He also died in the hospital. The death of the traders triggered massive protests.
Human rights organizations and activists condemned police brutality. He also condemned the manner in which the traders were remanded by the judicial magistrate and criticized the medical officer.
What directions were issued by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, which initiated the suo motu proceedings?
On June 24, 2020, Justices PN Prakash (retd) and B. Pugalendhi’s division bench initiated suo motu proceedings in connection with the case of custodial torture and death. The court said it would monitor the case and urged the public to remain calm. The court ordered a judicial inquiry.
Even when the High Court initiated suo motu proceedings, the then government transferred the investigation of the case to the CBI. Expressing lack of confidence in the local police, the court directed the CB-CID to take over the investigation of the case until the case is formally taken over by the CBI.
Kovilpatti judicial magistrate told the high court in a report that the Sattankulam police did not cooperate in the investigation and tried to create an intimidating atmosphere. The report said that ever since the judicial magistrate stepped into the Sattankulam police station, the police officials did not acknowledge the presence of the magistrate and showed an indifferent attitude.
The report said the documents were brought to the judicial magistrate late and when the CCTV footage was evaluated, it was revealed that it was calibrated in such a way that every day’s record would be overwritten by the next day.
The report said there was no footage from the day of the incident, although the CCTV system had enough space for storage. However, a female policeman revealed that the traders were tortured throughout the night.
Taking serious note of the matter, the High Court directed the Thoothukudi Collector to take control of the police station and appoint revenue officials to secure the relevant materials. The forensic team was also directed to collect evidence so that it can be preserved and handed over to the CBI.
The High Court initiated contempt proceedings against three police personnel – Additional Superintendent of Police D. Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police C. Prathapan and Police Constable Maharajan – for not cooperating with the Kovilpatti judicial magistrate during the investigation. The contempt proceedings were later dropped after the policemen tendered an unconditional apology.
During the hearing, the judges accused head constable S. Also spoke to Revathi, who revealed about torture in custody. The court ensured that he was provided adequate security.
The court took into account the statement of the woman head constable, the medical report and the judicial magistrate’s report and found prima facie material to book a case of murder against the police personnel involved in the custodial deaths.
Taking the matter seriously, the High Court also took information about police welfare programs.
It is only through such programs that violent tendencies among individuals can be curbed, the court said, directing the state government to allocate necessary funds to continue such programmes. The court said that a few bad cases should not be a reason to condemn the entire force.
The High Court recommended that the State Government study the possibility of replicating the ‘Magizchi’ program launched by the Chennai City Police in other districts of Tamil Nadu.
What was revealed by the CBI charge sheet?
The Central Bureau of Investigation submitted a charge sheet on September 25, 2020, and a supplementary charge sheet on August 12, 2022, before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Madurai.
CBI then Inspector S. Charge sheet filed against Sridhar; Sub-inspectors P. Raghu Ganesh and K. Balakrishnan; Head constable S. Murugan and A. Samidurai; and constables M.Muthuraaj, S. Chelladurai, X. Thomas Francis, and S. Veilumuthu. Special sub-inspector Pauldurai, an accused in the case, died after contracting COVID-19.
The CBI, in its charge sheet, said that Jayaraj and Bennix were subjected to brutal torture by the policemen, who knew that it was enough to cause their death.
During investigation, it was revealed that the traders had not violated the COVID-19 lockdown rules for which they were detained.
The CBI said investigation revealed that Jayaraj was picked up from his shop near Kamaraj Statue at 7.30 pm on June 19, 2020 and lodged at Sattankulam police station as part of a criminal conspiracy hatched by the accused.
On receiving information, Bennix reached the station to inquire about his father’s arrest. He protested against his father’s beating. After an altercation, both of them are wrongly locked in the police station and beaten up to teach them a lesson on how to behave with the police. The torture continued for several hours throughout the night.
Jayaraj and Bennix were asked to clean the blood from their wounds. The next morning, a sweeper from the Sattankulam police station was asked to clean the blood on the floor in order to destroy the evidence. The CBI said that the policemen had registered a false case against the two.
Despite serious injuries a “fit for remand” certificate was obtained. The blood stained clothes were thrown into the dustbin of the Sattankulam Government Hospital.
When Jayaraj and Bennix were produced before the medical officer, they were limping and unable to sit properly. He was later produced before a judicial magistrate for remand.
At Kovilpatti sub-jail, both of them developed health complications and later died at Kovilpatti Government Hospital.
In the supplementary charge sheet, the CBI submitted a report regarding the examination of the video footage available in the case.
Why were multiple extensions given to complete the trial?
Jayaraj’s wife and Bennix’s mother J. Disposing of a petition filed by Selvarani, the high court in March 2021 directed the trial court to complete the trial within six months, observing that “justice delayed is justice denied” and “judgment done in haste buryes justice”.
However, on several occasions, the High Court granted additional time to the trial court to complete the trial.
In 2023, the High Court granted additional time keeping in mind that the post of Presiding Officer was vacant and the case was being heard by the Additional District Judge for CBI cases in Madurai as additional charge.
In June 2025, during the hearing of the bail plea filed by the main accused, the High Court was informed that the accused had personally participated in the trial and cross-examined witnesses in several hearings.
The judicial magistrate was cross-examined in 26 hearings from October 16, 2023, to February 2, 2024, and the investigating officer was cross-examined in 21 hearings from March 27, 2024, to September 26, 2024. The High Court was told that the intention was to delay the proceedings and prevent the trial court from disposing of the case.
Several bail petitions filed by the accused were rejected by the High Court. The accused are lodged in Madurai Central Jail.
Key accused Sridhar had also filed an application before the trial court seeking to turn approver. The petition was rejected. Selvarani objected to the application, saying it was aimed at delaying the trial.
CBI also opposed the petition saying that Sridhar was the main conspirator and the main accused. Jayaraj and Bennix were allegedly tortured at his behest when he was the station house officer of Sattankulam police station.
What has the trial court said?
The First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai will pronounce the verdict in the 2020 Sattankulam custodial death case on March 23, 2026. Judge Mr. Muthukumaran has posted the matter for decision.
