MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Thursday appointed two advocates to act as amici curiae in a petition filed by the mother of a history sheeter, alleging police involvement in the death of her son N Seemairaja (20) in Madurai on July 6.
Justice L Victoria Gowri directed the advocates to visit the deceased’s friend Surya, who is receiving treatment in the Government Rajaji Hospital hospital in Madurai, get his statement on what transpired on the day and file a report to the court on July 13.
The judge further directed Melur police to preserve CCTV footage recorded in the station between July 4 and 6.
Seemairaja’s mother Kavitha moved the court on Wednesday, seeking a series of directions including video graphing of the postmortem, preservation of CCTV footage of the police station among others.
In her petition, Kavitha stated that on the night of July 4, Melur police came to her house inquiring about the whereabouts of her son, saying that he had committed thefts in Melur and escaped with his friend, Surya. Two days later, police called her over phone and informed that her son died in a road accident.
Suspecting that her son might have died due to custodial torture, she sought directions to conduct the postmortem through an independent medical board consisting atleast three senior forensic medicine experts.
On Wednesday, the additional advocate general B Saravanan denied the allegations and said the police have CCTV footage to prove Seemairaja was involved in a road accident.
The judge subsequently permitted Kavitha and her counsel to meet Surya and clarify whether they were chased by police when the accident occurred.
On Thursday, the judge expressed certain doubts in the matter and issued the directions. Regarding autopsy, the judge said it can be done as per guidelines along with video recording.