IG denies political interference in probe into custodial deaths
MADURAI: Crime BranchCID (CB-CID) Inspector General of Police (IG) K Shankar on Friday denied allegations of interference from the ruling party and a Minister in the probe into the custodial deaths of P Jayaraj and his son J Bennix at Sathankulam.
Talking to reporters here, Shankar said “It is not true. We are carrying out a fair and unbiased probe...The action taken by CB-CID in the case so far was testimony to that.
The probe is heading in the right direction and four persons have been arrested so far and the FIR has also been altered, the IG said.
The FIR has been amended after invoking Sections
-302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and 342 (wrongful confinement). The investigation team would soon arrest Muthuraj, who went into hiding in the wake of the deaths, the IG told reporters on Friday.
The team would review CCTV footage related to the incident. To a query, he denied any political interference in the probe, which is sincere and detailed. Further, the IG said ‘Friends of Police’ personnel could also be interrogated, if required.
Further, sources said the key eye-witness Revathy, head constable attached to
Sathankulam station, was present before the Thoothukudi Chief Judicial Magistrate on Friday for enquiry and later, the same eye-witness was also enquired by the Kovilpatti Judicial Magistrate in Tiruchendur. Further enquiries were also made with Vennila, doctor, Sathankulam GH and a few lawyers, who were said to be eye-witnesses, sources added.
Meanwhile, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court“relieved” the revenue officials, who took control of the Sathankulam Police station to collect the evidences, in the case on Friday.
As for AK Venugopal, lawyer from Sathankulam, there has been a serious lack of procedures by the police, doctor of Sathankulam Government Hospital, who certified fitness of the father –son duo and also by the judiciary and prison authorities. The lives of those two injured traders would have been saved, if the Sathankulam GH doctor examined the injuries at the right time. As far as the judiciary is concerned, any magistrate has to verify the arrest report from the police concerned before remanding them. Prior to lodging prisoners, jail authorities should examine whether the prisoner was injured and his health condition too. But none of these procedures was followed, the lawyer said.