Sivaganga custodial death case: HC dismisses bail petitions of police personnel

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday dismissed the bail petitions filed by four accused police personnel in the Sivaganga custodial death case of 29-year-old temple security guard B. Ajith Kumar.

Justice S. Srimathy dismissed the petitions filed by Ananth, Raja, Prabhu and Sankaramanikandan. Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed the court that the alleged theft of jewellery, on the basis of which the victim was detained, had been closed.

The CBI has filed a charge sheet and a supplementary charge sheet against 10 police personnel. Ajith Kumar was a temporary security employee at the Badrakali Amman Temple in Madapuram in Sivaganga district.

On June 27, 2025, Nikitha from Thirumangalam in Madurai district and her mother visited the temple. Nikitha reportedly handed their car key to Ajith Kumar, asking him to park the vehicle, as she needed to help her mother, who had difficulty in walking. It is alleged that when they returned, they found their bag in the car open and the gold ornaments inside it missing. Ajith Kumar was taken in for an interrogation. On June 28, 2025, he died during the interrogation.

The State Government had transferred the probe into both the cases to the CBI. Five police personnel – Prabhu, Kannan, Sankaramanikandan, Raja, and Ananth were arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Subsequently, Ramachandran (police driver), was named as an accused in the case and remanded in judicial custody.

Later, the then Manamadurai Deputy Superintendent of Police, N. Shanmugasundaram, the then Thirupuvanam Inspector of Police, P. Ramesh Kumar, the then Sub-Inspector of Police, Siva Kumar, and the then Head Constable, Ilayaraja, were additionally named as accused in the case.