Madurai: In a landmark judgment that has reignited national debate on custodial violence, the First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai on Monday awarded the death penalty to nine police personnel convicted in the 2020 Sattankulam custodial deaths case.​

The case pertains to the deaths of trader P. Jayaraj (58) and his son J. Benicks (31), who died following alleged brutal torture in police custody. The court had, on March 23, 2026, found all nine accused guilty but reserved its decision on sentencing.​

Pronouncing the quantum of punishment today, the court accepted the prosecution’s argument that the crime fell within the “rarest of rare” category, warranting capital punishment.​

During the sentencing proceedings, both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and counsel representing the victims’ family strongly pressed for the maximum penalty. ​

They argued that the victims were subjected to inhuman torture throughout the night inside the Sattankulam police station, despite having committed no serious offence.​

The brutality, they contended, justified the harshest punishment under law.​

The case had triggered widespread outrage across the country in 2020, prompting the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court to take suo motu cognisance. ​

Subsequently, the probe was transferred from the state police to the CBI by the then AIADMK government to ensure an impartial investigation.​

Case background

Originally, 10 police personnel were named as accused in the case. However, one of them, Special Sub‑Inspector Pauldurai, died after contracting COVID‑19 during the trial, leaving nine to face prosecution.​

The CBI filed its primary charge sheet in September 2020, followed by a supplementary charge sheet in August 2022, detailing the sequence of events and evidence gathered.​

According to the investigation, Jayaraj was picked up from his shop near the Kamaraj statue on the evening of June 19, 2020. His son Benicks later reached the police station after learning of the arrest and was also detained following a confrontation with the officers.​

Both were allegedly subjected to severe custodial torture through the night. The CBI stated that the victims were beaten mercilessly, forced to clean their own blood, and later implicated in a false case. ​

Evidence, including witness testimonies, medical reports, and video footage analysis, pointed to a deliberate attempt to destroy proof of the crime.​

Taking into account these findings, the court concluded that the accused had knowingly inflicted fatal injuries, leading to the deaths of the father and son, thereby justifying the death sentence.​