THOOTHUKUDI: Kovilpatti judicial magistrate Baratidasan lodged a complaint with the Registrar of Madurai Bench of Madras High Court against police officials Additional Superintendent of Police (ADSP) Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police C Prathaban and police constable Maharajan here on Monday.
On Sunday, the magistrate had started his inquiry of the police officers at the Sathankulam police station following the deaths of two Sathankulam traders while in custody. The inquiry continued till Monday morning.
However, it has been alleged that the police had refused to cooperate with magistrate and had refused to hand over the requisite documents, CCTV footage, case diary and the station general diary even though he was conducting an inquiry on High Court directions.
In a complaint sent to the HC registrar by e-mail, the magistrate pointed out that one of the police officers had made a disparaging remark against him, using crude language to say that he would not be able to do anything.
The comment, mentioned in Tamil in his email, has shocked family members of the deceased traders P Jeyaraj and his son J Beniks.
Advocate Venugopal, who is assisting the family, told The New Indian Express that these remarks demonstrated the "unlawful behaviour" of the police. "If they behaved like this before a judicial magistrate, imagine how they would have abused a suspect," he said.
Meanwhile, the Kovilpatti judicial magistrate shifted his camp office to Tiruchendur guest house, for recording statements on Monday.
Baratidasan had recorded statements of 12 persons, including family and friends of Beniks, at Tiruchendur guest house here on Monday. The three sisters of Beniks and their husbands, his mother Selvarani, advocate Manimaran and Rajaram are among those who appeared before the magistrate at Tiruchendur on Monday.
District Collector Sandeep Nanduri told The New Indian Express that he had not received any complaint in this regard. "We ensured all facilities for the magistrate at the Tiruchendur guest house," he said. When asked about the lack of cooperation from the police, he said that the issue was under the full purview of the High Court.