MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the Madurai Commissioner of Police (CoP) to take immediate action on a complaint filed by one Muthukaruppan of Madurai alleging custodial death of his son Balamurugan, who had been arrested in a recent kidnap case. Justice GR Swaminathan gave the direction during an urgent hearing held by the court here on Saturday.
He further directed the Dean of Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) to depute a senior forensic expert to conduct Balamurugan’s postmortem examination and make arrangements to videotaping the procedure to ensure transparency. The case was adjourned to October 31 for producing the postmortem examination report. On Friday, Muthukaruppan had approached the court seeking series of directions, which included videotaping of the postmortem examination, inquiry by judicial magistrate and transfer of investigation to CBI among others.
However, when the case was taken up for hearing on Friday afternoon, the government pleader submitted that Balamurugan was alive and receiving treatment at GRH. Following this, the court directed Avaniyapuram police inspector to preserve the CCTV camera footage of the station between October 20 and 22, when Balamurugan was in their custody, and hand it over to the CoP. After Balamurugan’s death in the evening, Muthukaruppan approached the court for the second time.
‘Balamurugan is alive and receiving treatment’
When the case was taken up for hearing on Friday afternoon, the government pleader submitted that Balamurugan was alive and receiving treatment at GRH. Following this, the court directed Avaniyapuram police inspector to preserve the CCTV camera footage of the station between October 20 and 22, when Balamurugan was in their custody, and hand it over to the CoP. After Balamurugan’s death in the evening, Muthukaruppan approached the court for the second time.