The custodial death of the father-son duo of P Jeyaraaj and J Fenix in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district took a new turn as it has come out that the policemen of Sattankulam Police Station are not cooperating with the Judicial Magistrate Kovilpatti, who is conducting a judicial probe into the incident.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday ordered the district collector of Thoothukudi to direct the revenue officials to take charge of the station as well as all documents maintained in the office till the entire probe is taken over by the CBI.

A division bench of justices P N Prakash and B Pugalendhi hearing a suo motu petition told the court on Monday that they heard about the non-cooperation of the policemen through the Principal District Judge who is monitoring the investigation.

 When the Additional Advocate General informed the court that the probe has been handed over to the CBI, the judges said they were not bothered about that move as it was a policy decision of the Government. “But the evidence has to be preserved till the procedures to transfer the investigation to the CBI are completed,” they said.

There are reports that Kovilpatti sub-jail records stated Jeyaraaj and Fenix had bleeding injuries in their gluteal regions when the Sattankulam police had taken them for remand on June 20. It was from this jail the father-son duo was taken to the hospital where they died.

There are reports that some of the cops of the Sattankulam Police Station used to torment Jeyaraaj for free mobile phones and accessories. Jeyaraaj’s refusal to part with such ‘gifts’ had upset the policemen who were waiting for a chance to take on him, said these reports but the authenticity could not be confirmed.

It is also said that Fenix who rushed to the police station hearing about the arrest of his father had altercations and even a skirmish with the cops on duty.