CBI v. Tamil Nadu Police Inspector (then SHO)
The I Additional District Judge, Madurai awarded the death penalty to nine Sathankulam police personnel, holding the custodial torture and deaths of father and son [name withheld] and [name withheld] a rarest-of-the-rare case of abuse of authority. The court found the duo were wrongfully confined on 19.06.2020 and brutally tortured on the night of 19-20 June 2020, dying on 22-23 June 2020. The CBI, which took over the case from Tamil Nadu Police, chargesheeted all nine within 90 days and examined 52 witnesses at trial. Conviction date precedes the 06.04.2026 sentencing date per the PR; death sentence is subject to mandatory High Court confirmation (status unverified).
This page documents a trial-court conviction from the cited sources below. It is not a High Court or Supreme Court finding; the conviction may have been appealed. Findings are attributed to the convicting court; this record does not add findings of its own.
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By judgment dated 23 March 2026, the First Additional District and Sessions Court, Madurai (Judge G. Muthukumaran) convicted 9 police personnel, namely: Inspector (then SHO), PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Sub-Inspector, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Sub-Inspector, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Head Constable, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Head Constable, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Police Constable, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Police Constable, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Police Constable, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Police Constable, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police.
- Register number
- TN 57 CW 0031
- Case reference
- CBI v. Tamil Nadu Police Inspector (then SHO)
- Court and date
- The First Additional District and Sessions Court, Madurai (Judge G. Muthukumaran), 23 March 2026
- Officer(s) at the material time
- Inspector (then SHO), PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Sub-Inspector, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Sub-Inspector, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Head Constable, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Head Constable, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Police Constable, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Police Constable, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Police Constable, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police; Police Constable, PS Sathankulam, Tamil Nadu Police
- Present service status
- Not ascertained from the cited sources.
- Provisions invoked
- Section 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 195 (false evidence) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 211 (false charge) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 218 (public servant framing incorrect record) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 302 (murder) read with Section 109 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860
- Facts in brief
- The I Additional District Judge, Madurai awarded the death penalty to nine Sathankulam police personnel, holding the custodial torture and deaths of father and son [name withheld] and [name withheld] a rarest-of-the-rare case of abuse of authority. The court found the duo were wrongfully confined on 19.06.2020 and brutally tortured on the night of 19-20 June 2020, dying on 22-23 June 2020. The CBI, which took over the case from Tamil Nadu Police, chargesheeted all nine within 90 days and examined 52 witnesses at trial. Conviction date precedes the 06.04.2026 sentencing date per the PR; death sentence is subject to mandatory High Court confirmation (status unverified).
- Verdict, sentence and quantum
- Conviction recorded by the trial court. Sentence: Death penalty to all nine (quantum pronounced 06.04.2026; convicted of murder and destruction of evidence earlier)
- Present status of the proceedings
- No appeal is known from the cited sources.
Compiled from the judgment and the cited sources. Findings are those of the court; this card adds none of its own.
First Additional District and Sessions Court, Madurai (Judge G. Muthukumaran) convicted the accused police personnel on 23 March 2026. No appeal is known from the cited sources.
Sentence & charges
Sentence: Death penalty to all nine (quantum pronounced 06.04.2026; convicted of murder and destruction of evidence earlier)
Sections: IPC s.342 (wrongful confinement); IPC s.195 (false evidence); IPC s.211 (false charge); IPC s.218 (public servant framing incorrect record); IPC s.302 (murder) read with ss.109 and 34
Appeal status
No appeal known.