Tuticorin custodial death: CBI team to arrive today to begin probe, directed by HC to file status report by July 28

A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers will arrive in Tamil Nadu's Madurai on Friday to take over investigations into the father-son custodial death case, the counsel for the agency informed the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday.

The CBI counsel also added that the agency had sought all necessary facilities from the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary for the investigation into the case. 

The case of alleged custodial deaths of the father-son duo, which was taken up suo-moto by the High Court, came up for hearing on Thursday. 

The court instructed that either the CBI or the CB-CID proceed with the formalities and file a plea to conduct custodial interrogation of the arrested police personnel within 15 days of their arrest.  

In this regard, the CBI counsel informed a bench of Justice Sathyanarayanan and Rajamanickam that a team of seven CBI officers from Delhi would reach Madurai on Friday. 

So far, the CB-CID, which handled the case as per the court’s orders, has arrested 10 police personnel from the Sathankulam Police Station, where the alleged custodial torture had taken place. 

The CB-CID counsel has informed the court that a petition has been filed to take them under Police custody. The counsel also added that evidence had been collected from the Sathankulam Police station, the sub-jail and the hospital where the father-son duo spent their final days. 

The Court also ordered the CBI and CB-CID to file their respective status reports in a sealed cover before the next hearing, which is scheduled for July 28.