The probe into a case of custodial death of 25-year-old Vignesh in Chennai on Friday, April 22, was transferred to the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID). A press note stated that Director General of Police (DGP) Sylendra Babu issued the orders transferring the probe. Three police officials from the G-5 Secretariat police station — Sub-Inspector Pugalum Perumal, head constable Pavun Raj and Home Guard personnel Deepak have also been suspended in connection with the incident.
The press note added that a judicial probe was underway and information has also been sent to the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Earlier in the day, TNM had reported that the family had been paid Rs 1 lakh, in a bid to pacify them and settle the case. Vignesh’s elder brother Vinod told TNM that the family was paid Rs 1 lakh by Vignesh’s employer who told them that he sourced the money from the police.
Vignesh, who used to offer horse rides at the city’s Marina Beach, was taken into custody by the G5 Secretariat Colony police station, along with Suresh, a construction worker, on April 18. Police said that the next day, Vignesh had a seizure and died while being taken to the hospital. The family has alleged foul play in the death.
TNM had also earlier reported how the Chennai police did not allow anyone except Vignesh’s elder brother and younger brother to see the body at the morgue. The police also refused to hand over the body to family members and took it straight from the mortuary after the post mortem to a crematorium on Thursday evening despite protests from the family. They later approached judicial magistrate Yashwantrao Ingersol who is heading the judicial probe, who in turn asked the police to allow the family to conduct the funeral as per their traditions. Vignesh’s body was buried at the Krishnampet graveyard.