Jayaraj-Benicks TN Custodial Deaths Case: 9 Policemen Sentenced to Death
“Father and son stripped, ruthlessly assaulted… Heart shudders reading about it,” the court said.
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On 6 April 2026, a court in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, sentenced nine police personnel to death for the custodial torture and murder of trader P Jayaraj and his son J Benicks in June 2020.
The incident occurred at the Sattankulam police station during the COVID-19 lockdown, after the duo was detained for allegedly violating lockdown norms by keeping their mobile phone shop open. The case led to widespread public outrage and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.
According to Maktoob Media, the trial court found the nine policemen guilty of custodial torture and murder, describing the case as an abuse of authority.
The court remarked that the “heart shudders reading about the case,” and emphasised that the ruling would not instil fear in honest police officers.
As reported by Hindustan Times, the court classified the case as the “rarest of rare,” noting that the crime had shaken the collective conscience of society.
The judge imposed a combined fine of ₹1.40 crore on the convicts as compensation to the victims’ families. The court stressed that the punishment must serve as a deterrent to prevent such incidents in the future.
As highlighted by Deccan Herald, the sentencing came two weeks after the court convicted all nine policemen. The judge stated, “If ordinary citizens had committed the same crime, ordinary punishment could have been given, but the police themselves have committed the crime.”
The brutality inflicted on Jayaraj and Benicks led to their deaths within days of their detention. “Father and son stripped, ruthlessly assaulted… Heart shudders reading about it,” the court said, as cited in the judgment.
As noted in an article by Siasat, the convicts included Inspector S Sridhar, Sub-Inspectors K Balakrishnan and P Raghu Ganesh, Head Constables S Murugan and A Samadurai, and Constables M Muthuraja, S Chelladurai, X Thomas Francis, and S Veilumuthu. The tenth accused, Special Sub-Inspector Pauldurai, died during the trial due to health complications.
As The Indian Express stated in an article, the CBI investigation revealed that Jayaraj and Benicks were wrongfully confined and assaulted through the night to “teach them a lesson.”
The two were made to clean their own blood, and a false case was registered against them. The CBI chargesheet indicated that the initial detention was not based on any actual violation of lockdown rules.
Court documents confirmed that the injuries sustained by the victims were not self-inflicted and that the deaths were caused by repeated assault. The judge rejected arguments that pre-existing health conditions contributed to the deaths, concluding that both men were murdered in custody.
The sentencing was widely reported as a significant legal development, with the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court having taken suo motu cognisance of the case and ordered a judicial inquiry. The state government subsequently transferred the investigation to the CBI, which prosecuted the nine officers.
“The case fell within the category of the rarest of rare cases and maximum punishment should be awarded to the convicts,” the CBI counsel argued, as referenced in court proceedings.
The High Court found prima facie material to book the police personnel for murder, and the trial court ultimately imposed the death penalty on all nine surviving accused.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.