Court action and charges
The Additional District and Sessions Court framed a murder count under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 against former Manamadurai DSP N. Shanmugasundaram, former Thiruppuvanam Inspector S.P. Ramesh Kumar, former Sub-Inspector Sivakumar and former Head Constable Ilayaraja, and ordered that they be remanded to judicial custody.
The court noted that the four accused had not filed bail petitions before the trial court despite earlier approaching the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court. The High Court had directed them to appear before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Madurai and execute bonds, material placed before the sessions court showed.
CBI opposition and witness concerns
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is conducting the probe, opposed release of the accused, arguing that granting bail could hamper the sensitive inquiry. The prosecution also raised security concerns after saying a witness-protection order in the matter had been withdrawn by the current Thiruppuvanam Inspector, Sethumani Mathavan, a submission that the court recorded as a matter of serious concern.
“Granting bail could affect the investigation in the sensitive custodial death case,” the CBI told the court, according to the record.
Background of the case
The matter concerns the death in custody in June 2025 of B. Ajithkumar, who was employed as a security guard at the Madapuram Badrakali Amman Temple. Ajithkumar was detained by police after a complaint regarding alleged missing jewellery, and his subsequent death triggered allegations of custodial violence and abuse.
Following initial enquiries, the CBI took over the investigation, arrested six police personnel earlier and filed a chargesheet. As the probe progressed, the agency submitted a supplementary chargesheet before the trial court that included additional allegations against N. Shanmugasundaram, the material showed.
Local and legal implications
The development intensifies scrutiny of police conduct in the region at a time when custodial deaths have remained a flashpoint for public debate on accountability and human rights. Legal observers say the framing of a murder offence under the new criminal code signals that the prosecution believes it has prima facie evidence to proceed to trial.
- Four former police personnel remanded to judicial custody by the Madurai sessions court.
- Charges framed under Section 103, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
- CBI opposes bail, citing possible adverse impact on the investigation and witness safety.
Case details at a glance
| Allegation | Victim | Accused (positions) |
|---|---|---|
| Custodial death after detention over missing jewellery complaint | B. Ajithkumar, security guard (Madapuram Badrakali Amman Temple) | N. Shanmugasundaram (former DSP), S.P. Ramesh Kumar (former Inspector), Sivakumar (former SI), Ilayaraja (former HC) |
The sessions court order will keep the four in judicial custody as the trial and CBI investigation continue. The prosecution has underscored witness security as a central concern, and the withdrawal of a previously issued witness-protection order has been recorded by the court as aggravating the situation.
Further hearings are expected to address the supplementary chargesheet and the status of other accused persons already arrested in the case. The outcome of these proceedings will be closely watched by residents across Madurai and neighbouring districts who have followed the case since Ajithkumar's death led to a wider inquiry into custodial practices.
