Nine Policemen Sentenced to Death in Custodial Deaths Case

All nine police officers involved in the 2020 Sattankulam custodial deaths case were sentenced to death by the First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai on April 6, 2026. The case involved the deaths of trader P. Jayaraj (58) and his son J. Benicks (31) while in police custody.

The court had convicted all nine officers earlier on March 23, 2026, but delayed announcing the sentences until later. During arguments, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the family’s legal team argued that this was a “rarest of rare” case deserving maximum punishment due to the heinous nature of the crime.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court took notice of the case on its own and transferred the investigation to the CBI. A total of 10 police personnel were accused, but one died from COVID-19 during the trial. The CBI filed a charge sheet in September 2020, naming the then Sattankulam inspector and other officials as defendants.

The investigation revealed that Jayaraj and Benicks were subjected to brutal torture at the Sattankulam police station. They were wrongly arrested for allegedly violating COVID-19 lockdown rules. After being detained, they were beaten repeatedly throughout the night. The next morning, efforts were made to destroy evidence of their torturous ordeal. A false case was filed against them, and a woman head constable’s statement, along with medical and judicial reports, confirmed the need for charges.

The court found sufficient evidence to convict the officers, leading to the death sentence for all nine.