Sivaganga custodial death: As opposition mounts pressure, Stalin transfers probe to CBI

Amid widespread outrage and criticism, and opposition demand for a CBI probe, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday ordered transferring to the central agency, the investigation into death of Ajithkumar (29), who was picked up by a 'special team' for interrogation in connection with a theft case.

Chennai: Under attack from various quarters, the Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) the probe into the custodial torture and subsequent death of a temple guard in Sivaganga district by a group of six policemen of a “special team.”

The decision announced by Chief Minister M K Stalin came hours after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered a judicial probe into the case while tearing into the DMK dispensation for its mishandling.

Stung by criticism from various quarters, the government on Tuesday morning shunted out Sivaganga Superintendent of Police Ashish Rawat and placed him on wait list, while it suspending Shanmugasundaram, deputy superintendent of police (Manamadurai), who formed the special team to investigate a case of missing gold jewels.

Stalin, who came under attack from opposition parties for his proactiveness in condemning custodial tortures while not in power, broke his silence, two days after the incident came to light, by saying no one can justify the “brutality” inflicted on 27-year-old B Ajith Kumar.

“My government will ensure that the policemen who erred and failed in their duty get punished. The government will stand with the victim,” Stalin wrote on his X page and posted a video of his telephonic conversation with the victim’s family. He also assured that the state government will fully cooperate with the CBI in the case.

A bench of Justices S M Subramaniam and A D Maria Clete lambasted the state government for merely suspending and arresting the policemen who are accused of beating the victim and not acting against higher officials.

“Under whose order the special team of police investigated the case without an FIR,” the bench asked before ordering a probe by Madurai Judicial Magistrate into the incident and submit a detailed report before it by July 8.

The government came under further scrutiny and faced more questions as a video of the six policemen, five of whom are now in jail, brutally thrashing the youth despite his screams emerged and went viral on social media.

Sivaganga MP and Congress leader Karti P Chidambaram said this was crude brutality, no professional policing. “The entire Tamil Nadu police force must undergo retraining. Officers must be held responsible,” he said.

The court also noted that Tamil Nadu has not forgotten the custodial death of P Jeyaraj and his son Emmanuel Bennix in 2020 – being investigated by the CBI – and termed the DMK government’s actions as “insufficient.”

Ajith Kumar, who worked as a security guard at Madapuram Badrakaliamman Temple in Thirupuvanam, in Sivaganga district, died after being allegedly tortured by six policemen of a “special team” formed to probe his role into a complaint filed by a mother-daughter duo that 10 sovereigns of gold went missing from their car.

The duo asked Ajith Kumar to park their vehicle and the victim, it is believed, sought the help of others in parking the car following which the women alleged that 10 sovereigns of gold went missing from their vehicle. The police detained Ajith Kumar, his brother Naveen Kumar, and three others and let them off by June 27 evening but only to pick them up once again and take them to different locations before beating up the deceased.

An autopsy conducted on Ajit Kumar’s body has revealed over 15 external injury marks and grievous internal injuries. The deceased’s brother, Naveen Kumar, who was also detained by the “special police team” alleged that his brother was brutally thrashed in front of him and he was declared dead at a private hospital where he was taken on June 29 morning.