Four Kerala cops held over custodial death of 30-yr-old

KOCHI: Four police officers were arrested on Saturday by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for murder of Thamir Jifri (30) while in custody in Tanur in Malappuram district in August last year, people familiar with the matter said.

The arrested officers have been identified as senior civil police officer (CPO) Ginesh (37), CPO Albin Augustine (36), CPO Abhimanyu (35) and CPO Vipin (38), all of whom were members of the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) of the Kerala police.

They were produced before the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) court in Ernakulam, which remanded them to 14 days of judicial custody.

Jifri, resident of Tirurangadi, was picked up by the DANSAF squad on July 31 last year along with four others on charge of possessing 18.14 grams of MDMA, also known as ecstasy, and booked under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.

At the Tanur police station, during questioning, Jifri collapsed and was rushed to a nearby private hospital where doctors declared him dead at 4:30 am on August 1.

According to the initial FIR registered by the Tanur police, Jifri showed signs of drug overdose. However, a later investigation by the Crime Branch pointed towards custodial torture.

On August 2, eight policemen including the sub-inspector of Tanur police station were suspended pending inquiry.

The officials said that the accused cops face charges of wrongful confinement, wrongful confinement to extort confession, custodial torture, voluntarily causing hurt, causing hurt using dangerous weapons and murder among others as per the FIR registered by the CBI.

While the case was initially probed by the state police crime branch, it was handed to the CBI following a High Court directive on September 8, 2023.

The autopsy report of the 30-year-old stated that there were 21 injury marks on his body, indicating severe physical assault. There were bruises on the bottom end of his spine, under the legs, swelling in his lungs and injuries on his thighs.

Haris Jifri, the elder brother of Thamir Jifri, hailed the CBI action in the case. “Even though it’s quite late, the arrests of the four officers have finally been made. We are happy. Let the law take its course,” he said.