[Sathankulam Custodial Deaths] SCAORA condemns custodial death of father and son, calls for strict action against perpetrators

In a resolution passed recently, the Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association (SCAORA) has condemned the recent and horrific instance of custodial deaths in Thoothukudi's Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu and called for strict action against the perpetrators..While the authorities are slated to examine the conduct of the Police officials alleged to be involved in the incident, along with the doctors for failing to give proper medical treatment to victims, and the Judicial Magistrate who remanded the victims to custody, the SCAORA has confined itself to condemning the act and calling for strict action..In its resolution dated June 29, the SCAORA has also expressed deep anguish over the news reports of the incident as well as the various instances of custodial death and torture coming from across the country..The association has said that there is a need for Police reforms to be implemented in accordance with the directions passed by the Supreme Court on the subject. The same should be done urgently, the SCAORA said, "to prevent the recurrence of such shocking cases and to maintain the Rule of law.".Additionally, the resolution passed says that the competent authorities must take immediate steps to ensure that the Police and the Magistracy across the country give respect to the Constitutional rights guaranteed to the accused persons and adhere to the provisions laid down in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). .All the concerned authorities in the criminal justice system must comply with the directions passed by the Supreme Court on issued including, though not limited to, arrest, detention, and humane custodial treatment as well as bail, the resolution says..Read SCAORA's resolution:.A father-son duo of Jeyaraj and Bennix were arrested by the Thoothukudi Police on June 19 for an alleged violation of lockdown norms by keeping their shop open till after the permitted hours. .The duo was allegedly beaten up and tortured barbarically by the Police officials while in custody and the two succumbed in a hospital shortly after. This led to an outrage and furore across the country highlighting the menace of police brutality in India. .The four police officials involved in the instance have been suspended since and the probe in the case is likely to be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is reported to have said on Sunday..The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court took suo motu cognisance of the case last Wednesday, assuring that it is closely monitoring the case. A judicial inquiry under Section 176 of the CrPC is underway. .Sathankulam Custodial Deaths: Madras High Court issues guidelines for conduct of judicial inquiry [Read Order]