Sathankulam Custodial Death Case: 9 Police Personnel Sentenced to Death by Madurai Court

MADURAI, April 6, 2026 – In a landmark judgment, the 1st Additional District and Sessions Court (ADJ) in Madurai has awarded the death penalty to nine police personnel for the custodial torture and subsequent deaths of a father and son, P. Jeyaraj and J. Benniks.

As per the Press Release issued by CBI In which Stated that Presiding over the case, the court categorized the incident as a “rarest of the rare” case, citing a gross abuse of authority and a heinous violation of human rights that shook the conscience of the nation.

The victims were wrongfully detained at the Sathankulam Police Station on June 19, 2020, where they were subjected to brutal, merciless torture during the night. Benniks succumbed to his injuries on June 22, followed by his father, Jeyaraj, on June 23, while both were still in judicial custody.

The case, which sparked massive public outrage and intense media scrutiny, was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Tamil Nadu government to ensure a transparent and fair probe.

Following a swift investigation completed within 90 days, the CBI filed a chargesheet against the nine accused officers, including former Inspector and SHO S. Sridhar, Sub-Inspectors P. Raguganesh and K. Balakrishnan, and several head clerks and constables.

The prosecution successfully proved charges of murder and destruction of evidence by examining 52 out of 135 cited witnesses over a five-year trial.

In its final arguments, the CBI pressed for the maximum degree of punishment, leading to today’s sentencing of all nine accused to death, marking a significant moment in the pursuit of justice against police brutality in India.