Madras HC Directs IO To File Status Report In Sealed Cover In Tamil Nadu Custodial Case; Urges Media To Not Conduct “Media Trial”

Taking suo motu cognizance in the recent horrific custodial deaths of a father-son duo in the state, the Madras High Court has appealed to the members of Print, Visual and Social Media not to “misinterpret the proceedings (or) observations” made during the course of hearing. Justices M. Sathyanarayana and P. Rajamanickam further urged that a “media trial” not be conducted as it may affect both the prosecution as well as the accused. The bench at the Madurai Seat of the High Court required Mr. Anil Kumar, the CBCID, Tirunelveli, that had taken over the investigation and registered two cases for the alleged commission of the offences under Sections 302, 342 and 201 I.P.C. to file a status report as to the investigation carried out so far in a sealed cover before this Court on the next date of hearing. Finally, the bench ordered that the Investigating Agency either CB-CID or CBI, may take immediate steps to file applications for getting police custody of the arrested persons, within fifteen days of remand before the jurisdictional Magistrate as contemplated under Section 167 Cr.P.C.