ADSP Velladurai falsely implicated in custodial death allegation: HC

CHENNAI: Holding that there was no cogent material to prove the allegation that Additional Superintendent of Police (ADSP) Velladurai was responsible for the death of a youngster due to the alleged custodial torture, the Madras High Court quashed the disciplinary action directed by the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC).

The division bench of Justices SS Sundar and N Senthilkumar said the officer was falsely implicated in the case, and also noted that the probe officer appointed by the commission stated that the injuries found on the deceased, Suresh (22), could have happened while the public beat him up for trying to steal a two-wheeler and because of tuberculosis.

The case dates back to December 2011 when Velladurai was the assistant commissioner, Anna Nagar, Madurai City. Suresh’s father Muniandi, a sweeper in Virudhunagar municipality, filed a complaint that his son died due to custodial torture at Karimedu station.

However, the Karimedu police said that Suresh and his friend David were nabbed by the public when they tried to steal a vehicle. They were severely injured while trying to escape. They were taken to Government Rajaji hospital, where Suresh succumbed to his injuries.

In 2019, the SHRC ordered a probe and later directed disciplinary action against Velladurai, which he challenged before the High Court.

The bench noted that the doctor who examined him said Suresh did not complain about custodial torture when the judicial magistrate specifically asked him, and added that the father’s complaint to the commission too did not allege that Velladurai was present nor overseen the alleged torture.