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Time of India

Sathankulam case: HC dismisses accused cop's seventh bail plea

Madurai: Madras high court on Monday dismissed the bail plea moved by suspended inspector of police S Sridhar, who was arrested in connection with the custodial deaths of P Jeyaraj and his son J Beniks at Sathankulam in Tuticorin district in 2020. The court was hearing the bail petition filed by Sridhar, the first accused in the case. Sridhar's counsel submitted that the petitioner was in judicial custody for a long period. The case is pending for cross-examination of the second investigating officer, and to complete his examination, it will take four or five months. So, the counsel sought bail to prepare arguments. However, the special public prosecutor for the CBI strongly objected to the grant of bail. He submitted that the intention of the petitioner and other accused is only to drag the proceedings. The counsel for Jeyaraj's wife, Selvarani, also opposed the grant of bail to the petitioner, stating that if he is granted bail, he might abscond. Justice P Vadamalai observed that the petitioner filed six petitions for bail before the HC and a special leave petition before the Supreme Court, and those petitions were dismissed considering the heinous nature and gravity of offences allegedly committed by the petitioner and other accused. The petitioner has not engaged counsel and cross-examined all the witnesses in person at length by taking a number of hearings. The judge observed that charges against the petitioner are serious in nature, and the case is almost at the end of the trial. The petitioner participated in the trial and cross-examined the prosecution witnesses in person without engaging any counsel. So, he has ample knowledge about the case and evidence. The petitioner is at liberty to engage counsel and to give instructions or to get guidance for preparation of arguments in the prison itself, according to permissible rules available in the Tamil Nadu Prison Manual. The petitioner mainly seeks bail for the reason of preparing arguments. It is not a valid ground to grant bail, the judge observed and dismissed the bail petition.