Contempt proceedings against 3 cops for preventing inquiry

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday initiated suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against the Thoothukudi Additional Superintendent of Police D Kumar, DSP C Prathapan (Sathankulam) and constable Maharajan for preventing the Kovilpatti Judicial Magistrate from conducting the judicial inquiry at Sathankulam police station in connection with the custodial deaths of mobile phone shop owner Bennix and his father Jayaraj.

The constable in particular seemed to have made a disparaging remark against the magistrate. The trio has been directed to appear before the Bench of Justices PN Prakash and B Pugalendhi at 10.30 am on Tuesday.

The ASP, DSP and all the personnel attached to the Sathankulam police station have also been directed to be transferred to ensure a free and fair probe into the custodial deaths.

The Bench also directed the Thoothukudi District Collector to depute Revenue department officials to the Sathankulam police station as the police personnel there were not cooperating with the judicial inquiry. Further, Justice Prakash has directed the Assistant Director of Mobile Forensic Science Laboratory, Thoothukudi, to immediately reach the Sathankulam police station to collect clues and assist the Judicial Magistrate in the probe.

The Justice also directed the Registrar of the court to take a photocopy of preliminary postmortem examination certificates and send the original to the Thoothukudi Chief Judicial Magistrate, who in turn should hand over the same to the investigating officer of the CBI. Meanwhile., the State government issued a GO to transfer the alleged lock- up deaths case to the CBI.