Sivaganga custodial death case: CBI names DSP, Inspector as accused

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday filed a supplementary charge sheet in the custodial death of temple security guard B. Ajith Kumar in Sivaganga before the Fifth Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai.

According to reliable sources, four police personnel have been additionally named as accused in the case.

The then Manamadurai Deputy Superintendent of Police N. Shanmugasundaram, the then Thirupuvanam Inspector of Police P. Ramesh Kumar, the then Sub-Inspector of Police Siva Kumar and the then Head Constable Ilayaraja have been named as accused.

So far, 10 police personnel have been named as accused in the case.

Earlier, five police personnel — Prabhu, Kannan, Sankara Manikandan, Raja, and Anand — were arrested and remanded. Subsequently, Ramachandran (police driver), an accused in the case, was remanded in judicial custody.

People’s Watch Executive Director Henri Tiphagne said while it was appreciable that these police personnel were named as the accused, the CBI should find out who gave the instructions from Chennai to the DSP to act in such a manner that led to the death of Ajith Kumar. The CBI should also expedite the investigation into the case of the alleged theft of jewellery, and adequate protection should be provided to the family of Ajith Kumar and witnesses in the case, he said.

Ajith Kumar was a temporary security guard at the Badrakali Amman Temple in Madapuram. On June 27, Nikitha of Thirumangalam in Madurai district, and her mother visited the temple. Nikitha reportedly handed over their car key to Ajith Kumar, asking him to park the vehicle, saying she had to help her mother who had difficulty in walking.

It is alleged that when they returned, they found their bag in the car open and the gold ornaments in it missing.

Ajith Kumar was picked up for interrogation. On June 28, he died during the interrogation.

The State government transferred the probe into the custodial death case and the probe into the alleged theft of jewellery linked to the case to the CBI.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had directed the CBI to complete the investigation and file the final report in both the cases.