Sathankulam custodial death: Complete trial in six months, says High Court
MADURAI: The Madurai Bench on Thursday directed the Additional District and Sessions Judge I of Madurai to complete trial in Sathankulam custodial death case within six months. In his judgment on a petition filed by Selvarani, wife of one of the deceased Jeyaraj, Justice K Murali Shankar quoted some of the comments that appeared in social media on the death of the traders- Jeyaraj and his son Beniks. The incident was discussed globally, he noted.
He also recalled the earlier orders passed by a division bench of the court which had taken suo motu cognizance of the traders’ death, especially the suo motu contempt proceedings initiated against three policemen.
“The orders showed the manner in which the Thoothukudi police attempted to tamper with the evidence and tried to prevent a judicial officer from conducting inquiry,” the judge remarked. The judge said though speedy trial is imperative, it should be a fair one, uninfluenced by media reports or the orders or observations made by the court.