The Sathankulam custodial deaths case, involving P. Jeyaraj and his son J. Bennix, unfolded over nearly six years, beginning with their arrest on June 19, 2020, and culminating in a landmark verdict in April 2026. The case became one of the most significant instances of custodial violence in India, drawing widespread public attention and prolonged judicial scrutiny.
On June 19, 2020, at around 7:30 pm, Jeyaraj was arrested at his workshop in Kamarajar Chowk, Sathankulam, by Sub-Inspector Balakrishnan, Inspector S. Sridhar, Police Constable M. Muthuraja, and other personnel following a dispute over the alleged violation of COVID-19 lockdown trading hours. Between 7:30 pm and 7:45 pm, his son Bennix, who was at a nearby mobile accessories stall near the Kamarajar statue, was informed and rushed to the police station. While waiting outside, he was called in and saw his father being pushed to the ground and assaulted, leading to a confrontation, after which Bennix was also detained.
From about 7:45 pm, both were confined inside the station and subjected to continuous assault. Witnesses outside were denied entry and reported hearing police shout, “How you dare speak against the police.” Investigations later established that the station was locked and that the duo were tortured in multiple rounds from 7:45 pm until 3:00 am. The first phase lasted until about 9:45 pm, with violence intensifying after 11:30 pm when Sub-Inspector Raghu Ganesh arrived. The probe found that officers repeatedly instigated further assaults, with even police volunteers joining in. The victims were stripped during the torture, and forensic evidence, including bloodstains on walls and floors, later confirmed the brutality.
On the morning of June 20, 2020, Jeyaraj and Bennix were taken to Kovilpatti Government Hospital for a medical examination. Despite severe injuries and continuous bleeding, a fitness certificate was issued. They were then produced before Magistrate D. Saravanan, who, citing COVID-19 protocols, remanded them to judicial custody without direct examination. They were subsequently lodged in Kovilpatti sub-jail, about 100 km away, with limited access to lawyers and family.
On June 22, 2020, Bennix, who had been admitted to the Government Hospital in Kovilpatti, died at around 9:00 pm due to severe internal injuries and bleeding. On the same night, at approximately 10:30 pm, Jeyaraj was admitted to the same hospital from the sub-jail. In the early hours of June 23, 2020, at about 4:30 am, Jeyaraj also succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.
The deaths triggered widespread protests across Tamil Nadu, with traders, civil society groups, and political leaders demanding justice and accountability. The case soon gained national attention, leading to intervention by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, which monitored the initial proceedings. Subsequently, the investigation was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the case and began a detailed probe into the custodial violence and the alleged cover-up. The CBI registered two cases on July 7, 2020, related to the allegations of custodial death.
During the investigation phase in 2020, multiple police personnel were arrested, including inspectors, sub-inspectors, and constables. One of the accused died during the investigation due to COVID-19, while the remaining officers were chargesheeted by the CBI. The agency’s findings indicated that the victims were subjected to prolonged assault and that records had been manipulated to conceal the crime.
The trial formally began on February 18, 2021, before the First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai. Although the Madras High Court initially directed that the trial be completed within six months, the proceedings were extended multiple times over the following years due to various legal and procedural delays.
Between 2021 and 2025, the court examined numerous witnesses and reviewed forensic and documentary evidence submitted by the CBI. The case remained under continuous judicial oversight, with periodic interventions from higher courts to expedite the process.
On March 23, 2026, nearly six years after the incident, the Madurai court found all nine accused police personnel guilty of the custodial torture and deaths of Jeyaraj and Bennix. The court held that the prosecution had established the charges beyond reasonable doubt, confirming the role of the accused in the fatal assault.
Following the conviction, the court scheduled hearings on sentencing, seeking reports on aggravating and mitigating circumstances before delivering the final punishment. On April 6, 2026, the court pronounced its sentence, awarding the death penalty to all nine convicted policemen, categorising the crime as one of extreme brutality and severity.
The Sathankulam case timeline reflects a progression from a custodial arrest over alleged lockdown violations to a prolonged legal battle that concluded with one of the strongest judicial responses to custodial violence in India.
