Jayaraj, Bennix were beaten through the night: JM’s report

MADURAI: The Kovilpatti Judicial Magistrate’s enquiry report on the deaths of Jayaraj and Bennix revealed that the duo was physically tortured by the Sathankulam police through the night of June 19 and into the next morning.

The report submitted by MS Bharathidasan before the Madurai bench on Tuesday, also stated that the CCTV camera installed at the police station had been tampered with, as despite 1 TB storage capacity, there was no footage of June 19 available. Referring to Revathy’s statement, the report said the police on night duty thrashed both the father and the son with ‘lathis’ which later became bloodstained. The report also stated that the eye-witness had been reluctant to sign her statement sheet, but later consented.

As per the report, the police personnel in the station handed over their lathis, but one of them, constable Maharajan, kept contradicting himself over the location of his lathi. Another constable fled the premises when asked to bring the lathi. After completing his 15-hour enquiry on Sunday, Bharathidasan conveyed everything to the Principal District Judge over phone. The report also revealed that there was no cooperation from the Sathankulam police, who showed a callous disregard for the Magistrate. Thoothukudi ADSP, Sathankulam DSP have been put on wait and the constable suspended. The bench said criminal contempt proceedings against the cops would continue, adding, each be given legal counsels. The case was adjourned for the next four weeks.