MADURAI: J Selvarani, wife of P Jeyaraj and mother of J Beniks, has moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the 1st Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai to dispense with the examination of certain witnesses to ensure speedy completion of the trial in the Sathankulam custodial death case.
Selvarani filed the petition after the present trial judge, who recently assumed charge, decided to issue summons to nearly 54 witnesses, despite the fact that the CBI did not wish to examine them. Of the 106 witnesses listed, only 51 have been examined since the trial began in 2020.
Selvarani pointed out that the CBI had informed the high court on multiple occasions that it intends to examine only 52 witnesses, and the cross-examination of the final witness – the investigating officer – is currently under way. Summoning the remaining 54 witnesses, she argued, would delay the trial by another five years.
Justice RN Manjula has reserved orders on the petition.