SIVAGANGA: In the wake of the CBI informing the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court that it had closed the theft case filed against a victim in an alleged custodial torture case, the mother of the deceased, B Malathy, on Thursday demanded legal action against the complainant of the theft case.
The CBI on Wednesday informed the court that it has closed the theft case filed by J Nikitha against B Ajithkumar (29), a temple guard of Madapuram Badrakali Amman temple in Sivaganga, who was allegedly tortured to death by a special police team during interrogation in June 2025.
Addressing media persons, Malathy asked how Nikitha informed the police that Ajithkumar had committed the crime and how the police confirmed he had committed it and brutally assaulted him. "Was my son a terrorist? He wasn't even provided water to drink. Is there any law that prevents the police from providing water and food to an 'accused'? Aren't they human? Why did they brutally assault him to death in a false case?" she cried before the media.
She further said they needed answers to questions like on whose direction the police personnel had beaten him to death and who was the authority behind the incident. The arrested policemen in the custodial death case must not be released, and no one responsible for the incident should be spared, she said.
She said she believed that if the police were firm that he had committed the theft, they could have remanded him or, if innocent, released him simply. "I'm waiting for the moment the court confirms Ajithkumar is innocent. From day one of the incident, I knew my son was innocent. Though I belong to a poor background, I never raised my sons (including Ajithkumar and his younger brother B Naveenkumar) to indulge in any illegal activities," she pointed out.
The deceased's family counsel, Ganeshkumar, said the torture victims of the case, Naveenkumar, Praveenkumar, Arun, and Vinoth, are yet to receive their compensation. The family members are facing a taboo since people believe he committed the crime. It is now legally proven in court that Ajithkumar is innocent in the theft case, he said.
The CBI had filed separate FIRs- one for the custodial death and another for the jewel theft. It then chargesheeted 10 policemen, including the DSP in the custodial death case and has recently completed the investigation in the theft case as well.
