7 Jan 2026
Order issued
ConcludedThe Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recorded adverse findings against police personnel.
adverse finding compensation.
Source: 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) (unreported)
Not yet re-checked.
CW-2026-0062Madurai, Tamil NaduJudgment 7 January 2026
State of Tamil Nadu v. [name withheld] (Custodial Death of a Minor)
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court modified the compensation awarded by a Single Judge for the custodial death of a 17-year-old boy, [name withheld], who died in 2019 after being picked up by S.S. Colony police for an alleged jewellery theft. The Division Bench reduced the multiplier from 18 to 16 but affirmed the principle that compensation in custodial death cases need not strictly follow motor accident formulae. The court directed the State to pay the balance of Rs 18 lakh with 6% interest from September 2024. The Single Judge had found the boy was kept in illegal custody for three days and subjected to torture, with post-mortem revealing 25 ante-mortem injuries.
Externally reportedV2
What this record means
This page documents a court-adjudicated case from the judgment and cited sources below. Findings are attributed to the court; this record does not add findings of its own.
How verification works →Detailed record
Report card
By judgment dated 7 January 2026 in W.A.(MD) No. 823 of 2024, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court (Coram: G. Jayachandran, K.K. Ramakrishnan, JJ.) returned findings adverse to 4 police personnel, namely: Inspector, S.S. Colony Police Station; Special Sub-Inspector, S.S. Colony Police Station; Head Constable, S.S. Colony Police Station; Grade I Constable, S.S. Colony Police Station, and directed payment of compensation of Rs 23 lakh (Rs 23,00,000).
- Register number
- TN 57 CW 0032
- Case reference
- W.A.(MD) No. 823 of 2024 / 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) (unreported)
- Court and date
- Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court (Coram: G. Jayachandran, K.K. Ramakrishnan, JJ.), 7 January 2026
- Officer(s) at the material time
- Inspector, S.S. Colony Police Station; Special Sub-Inspector, S.S. Colony Police Station; Head Constable, S.S. Colony Police Station; Grade I Constable, S.S. Colony Police Station
- Present service status
- Not ascertained from the cited sources.
- Provisions invoked
- Article 21, Constitution of India of the Constitution of India; Section 357A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
- Finding of the Court (extract)
- “This Court is of the view that while paying compensation in the case of a custodial death, we cannot be very strict in applying the formula and though the learned Single Judge has erroneously applied the multiplier '18' instead of …” (at para para 3)
- Verdict, sentence and quantum
- Adverse finding + compensation. Sentence: compensation only. Compensation: Rs 23 lakh (Rs 23,00,000).
- Present status of the proceedings
- The judgment is recent and may be subject to appeal; the pendency of an appeal is not a finding.
Compiled from the judgment and the cited sources. Findings are those of the court; this card adds none of its own.
Current position
Judgment dated 7 January 2026. This judgment may still be subject to appeal; initiation or pendency of an appeal is not a finding.
Evidence position
Recorded allegations
Custodial deathPrimary
Material fact supported
Reliable material supports a specifically documented fact relevant to that allegation, not necessarily the full allegation, causation, intent, unlawfulness, or responsibility.
Official finding: supports allegation.
Attributed to the court
What the court found
Holding not recorded separately.
“This Court is of the view that while paying compensation in the case of a custodial death, we cannot be very strict in applying the formula and though the learned Single Judge has erroneously applied the multiplier '18' instead of …” (para para 3)
Separate from verification
Institutional response
Continuing record
Follow-up history
24 Sep 2026
(Swarm scout and independent verification pass (Muse Spark).)
Corrections (0): No corrections recorded.
Review: Solo Staff combined review (one combined attestation) — not yet recorded.