Jeyaraj & Beniks deaths: HC denies cop bail, says there’s enough to prove his role

Jeyaraj & Beniks deaths: HC denies cop bail, says there’s enough to prove his role

K.Kaushik@timesgroup.com

Madurai:18.09.2020

Observing that prima facie materials are available to prove that suspended Sathankulam police inspector S Sridhar had instigated his fellow policemen to assault P Jeyaraj and his son J Beniks, the Madras high court on Thursday dismissed his bail plea.

The court was hearing the bail plea of Sridhar, one of the 10 policemen arrested in the twin custodial deaths case. Justice V Bharathidasan observed that it is a case of alleged custodial torture where two precious lives were lost. From the materials available on record, Jeyaraj was taken to the police station by the petitioner, a sub inspector Balakrishnan and a constable Muthuraja. Thereafter, when Beniks came to the police station and inquired about the reason for his father’s arrest, there was a petty quarrel between him and Balakrishnan. The judge said the petitioner came out of his room and directed the police personnel to close the main gate and instigated the other accused to beat Beniks.

The judge noted that the materials available on record would show that the petitioner repeatedly instigated the other accused to beat both deceased. “Brutality continued throughout the night,” observed the judge. The judge added that at least eight witnesses spoke of Sridhar’s involvement in the above said occurrence and that the post-mortem report states that the duo died of complications due to blunt injuries sustained.

Being a policeman, there is reasonable apprehension that he is likely to tamper with witnesses, especially personnel working in the police station. Furthermore, investigation is yet to be completed and it is in a crucial stage, the judge noted and said he is not inclined to grant bail to the petitioner.