Judge begins probe into TN custodial death case | Chennai News

SIVAGANGA: A district judge on Wednesday began an enquiry into the custodial death of 27-year-old temple security guard Ajith Kumar as ordered by Madras high court while the state govt continued its attempts to reach out with minister K R Periyakaruppan visiting the bereaved family. He handed over a house patta to Ajith’s mother Malathi and an appointment order as technician in the Aavin unit at Karaikudi to his brother Naveen Kumar.Madurai IVth additional district judge S John Sundarlal Suresh visited the Thiruppuvanam police station briefly before commencing the enquiry at a nearby guest house at 10.45am. The session lasted more than eight hours. Sources said the judge examined ADSP N Sugumar and Thiruppuvanam inspector P Rameshkumar, and collected documents including the CSR, FIR, CCTV DVRs from the police station, and footage from the Bathrakaliamman temple where Ajith was employed.Statements were also recorded from HR&CE officials, temple staff, witnesses and other suspects who were questioned alongside Ajith.Ajith Kumar died in custody on June 28 during interrogation by a special police team in connection with a gold jewellery theft case. So far, five policemen have been arrested. The case was transferred to CBI on Tuesday, after the high court, upon reviewing the preliminary postmortem report, remarked that the injuries inflicted were more brutal than those in an ordinary murder. A video presented in court showed policemen in plain clothes assaulting Ajith with plastic pipes or sticks.Sivaganga SP Ashish Rawat was placed on the compulsory wait list, and Manamadurai DSP N Shanmugasundaram was suspended.High court has directed district judge Suresh to submit a detailed report and ordered police to hand over the call detail records of senior officers and the special team members, including the DSP, to the judge. All materials are to be kept in safe custody at the Madurai district court campus until further orders.