22-07-2025
Prime accused in Sattankulam custodial deaths case wants to turn approver
In a twist in the 2020 Sattankulam custodial deaths case of trader P. Jayaraj and his son J. Benicks, the main accused, the suspended Inspector of Police S. Sridhar has applied to the trial court willing to turn approver in the case.
He recently filed an application before the trial court, the First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai stating that he was willing to turn approver, depose as witness and disclose the truth in the case. He said he wanted to make full disclosure about the incident and sought to be pardoned.
Last month, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had dismissed the bail petition filed by Sridhar. The court had observed the alleged charges against Sridhar were serious in nature. Moreover, the case is admittedly almost at the end of the trial, the court had observed. Sridhar had sought bail for preparing the argument.
The CBI had filed the charge sheet against the then Inspector S. Sridhar, Sub-Inspectors P. Raghu Ganesh and K. Balakrishnan, Head Constables S. Murugan and A. Saamidurai, Constables M. Muthuraj, S. Chelladurai, X. Thomas Francis and S. Veilumuthu. Special Sub-Inspector Pauldurai, an accused in the case, died after contracting COVID-19.
