The First Additional Sessions Court in Madurai on Monday sentenced all 9 police personnel convicted in the Sathankulam custodial deaths case to death. (CBI v. Sridhar & Ors)

The sentence was pronounced by Judge G Muthukumaran after the Court had convicted the accused for murder and destruction of evidence on March 23.

A copy of the sentencing order is yet to be made available.

The case relates to the deaths of Jayaraj and his son Bennix, who were taken into custody in June 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown for allegedly keeping their mobile shop in Sathankulam, Thoothukudi district open beyond permitted hours.

The Court held that the deaths were not due to natural causes or pre-existing medical conditions, as claimed by the defence, but were the direct result of custodial violence inflicted by the accused police personnel.

Relying on medical and forensic evidence, the Court concluded that both victims sustained grievous injuries while in custody, which ultimately led to their deaths.

What began as a minor lockdown violation escalated into one of the most widely reported custodial death cases in India, sparking nationwide outrage and raising serious concerns about police excesses.

According to the prosecution, the sequence of events began on June 18, 2020, when police personnel allegedly threatened individuals gathered near Jayaraj’s shop during lockdown enforcement. Witnesses stated that Jayaraj had questioned the police’s conduct.

The next day, he was allegedly identified and forcibly taken into custody. His son Bennix was also detained. The prosecution alleged that both were subjected to brutal assault inside the Sathankulam police station.

The defence, however, argued that the arrest stemmed from a lockdown violation and a verbal altercation. It denied any coordinated assault or conspiracy among the accused.

Following intervention by the Madras High Court amid public outrage, the investigation was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which filed a 2,027-page chargesheet against the accused, including Inspector Sridhar and Sub-Inspectors Balakrishnan and Raghuganesh.

The trial spanned over 5 years, during which more than 50 witnesses were examined and extensive documentary and forensic evidence was placed on record.

In its verdict on conviction, the trial court rejected the defence version and held that the deaths were caused by custodial assault. It found the evidence sufficient to establish the offence of murder.