THOOTHUKUDI: The Kovilpatti Judicial Magistrate (JM) Barathidasan interrogated the policemen at Sathankulam station on Sunday. The JM is likely to record statements of the family of P Jeyaraj and his son J Beniks.
Thoothukudi Chief Judicial Magistrate S Hema was present during the interrogation. Revenue officials, including Sathankulam Tahsildar Rajalakshmi and Zonal Tahsildar Ahila, assisted the JM. Earlier on Saturday, Barathidasan conducted a day-long interrogation at the Kovilpatti Sub-Jail where he had collected admission registers and the medical records in connection with the crime.
While Barathidasan collected the case diary and the station’s general diary, the original case diary was handed over to CJM S Hema. The JM also collected the station CCTV cameras’ footage, and inspected the places where the deceased were held. The JM also recorded statements of the Sathankulam policemen.
The Madurai Bench of the HC had ordered the Kovilpatti JM to use Sathankulam Court premises as camp office. The court also said the staff of the Sathankulam Court shall assist him. The HC had already directed the Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi District administrations to keep the public informed of the fact that the court is closely monitoring the case.
‘Not custodial death’
Thoothukudi: The incident is not a case of custodial deaths as the traders died at Kovilpatti GH, said Minister for Information and Publicity Kadambur C Raju. “Only if a victim gets beaten up and dies at a police station, it is a lockup death,” he said. He also said Kanimozhi’s statements were for political mileage. Responding, Kanimozhi tweeted “All deaths under custody of police or judiciary are custodial deaths. Is the minister saying there was no torture in lockup? “How can we expect justice from this government?” After his comments came under criticism, Raju said his statements were twisted purposely.