MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court granted three days interim bail to one of the police personnel arrested in Sathankulam custodial death case here on Thursday. Justice M Nirmal Kumar gave the interim relief to the former constable of Sathankulam police station X Thomas Francis, to enable him to participate for his brother’s wedding in Tiruchy next week.
Meanwhile, the judge reserved orders on the bail petitions filed by Sub-Inspector P Ragu Ganesh and Francis. The counsel appearing for Ganesh submitted that the police ought not to have registered case under Sec 302 of IPC.
He contended there was neither any motive nor any conspiracy as claimed by the CBI. However, Assistant Solicitor General, L Victoria Gowri, argued that the grant of bail to the accused would lead to tampering of witnesses.
Counsel appearing for the intervener Selvarani, wife of the deceased, Jeyaraj and mother of Beniks, submitted that the policemen had strong motive to commit the offence as, according to eye-witnesses, a wordy altercation had broken out between one of the accused and Beniks.