State (CBI, RC3(S)/2004/CBI/SCB/Chennai) v. Tamil Nadu Police Sub-Inspector (A-14) & Ors — Cuddalore Woman-Cuddalore Man honour killing (2003), S.C. No.3 of 2019
The Cuddalore Special Court for SC/ST (PoA) Act cases on 24 September 2021 convicted Sub-Inspector K.P. Tamilmaran and Inspector M. Sellamuthu under IPC sections 217/218 and the SC/ST Act for deliberately refusing to register the FIR and fabricating evidence to shield the killers of inter-[name withheld] couple a Cuddalore woman and a Cuddalore man, murdered in July 2003, sentencing both officers to life imprisonment. The court found they violated CrPC sections 154/157 and the Police Act to fulfil a [name withheld]-driven design. The Madras High Court confirmed the verdict in June 2022 (reducing only Tamilmaran's sentence to two years) and the Supreme Court upheld the convictions on 28 April 2025 (2025 INSC 576).
This page documents a trial-court conviction from the cited sources below. It is not a High Court or Supreme Court finding; the conviction may have been appealed. Findings are attributed to the convicting court; this record does not add findings of its own.
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By judgment dated 24 September 2021, the Special Court for Exclusive Trial of SC/ST (PoA) Act Cases, Cuddalore convicted 2 police personnel, namely: K.P. Tamilmaran (Sub-Inspector (A-14)); M. Sellamuthu (Inspector (A-15)).
- Register number
- TN 31 CW 0009
- Case reference
- S.C. No.3 of 2019
- Court and date
- The Special Court for Exclusive Trial of SC/ST (PoA) Act Cases, Cuddalore, 24 September 2021
- Officer(s) at the material time
- K.P. Tamilmaran (Sub-Inspector (A-14)); M. Sellamuthu (Inspector (A-15))
- Present service status
- Not ascertained from the cited sources.
- Provisions invoked
- Section 217 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 218 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Section 3(2)(i) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989; Section 4 of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
- Finding of the Court (extract)
- “There is no doubt in our mind that A-15 is guilty of the offences as held both by the Trial Court as well as the High Court in appeal.”
- Verdict, sentence and quantum
- Conviction recorded by the trial court. Sentence: Trial court sentenced both police officers to life imprisonment (13 of 15 accused convicted; main accused A-2 given death). Madras HC (8 June 2022) maintained Tamilmaran's conviction under IPC 217/SC-ST Act s.4 but reduced his sentence to 2 years RI; upheld [name withheld]'s life term. Supreme Court upheld all convictions 28 April 2025
- Present status of the proceedings
- The conviction was affirmed in appeal.
Compiled from the judgment and the cited sources. Findings are those of the court; this card adds none of its own.
Special Court for Exclusive Trial of SC/ST (PoA) Act Cases, Cuddalore convicted the accused police personnel on 24 September 2021. The conviction was upheld on appeal. Appeal text.
Sentence & charges
Sentence: Trial court sentenced both police officers to life imprisonment (13 of 15 accused convicted; main accused A-2 given death). Madras HC (8 June 2022) maintained Tamilmaran's conviction under IPC 217/SC-ST Act s.4 but reduced his sentence to 2 years RI; upheld [name withheld]'s life term. Supreme Court upheld all convictions 28 April 2025.
Sections: IPC 217; IPC 218; SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 s.3(2)(i); SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 s.4
Appeal status
Upheld on appeal. Appeal text