Chennai custodial death: Cops tried to pay us to remain silent, alleges victim’s brother

V Vignesh died on April 19, a day after he and his friend were detained for allegedly possessing drugs near Kellys area in the city.

Vinod, the victim's elder brother, speaks to the press, on Saturday. (Twitter/@ANI)

A week after a 25-year-old youth died after allegedly being beaten up at a police station in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, his brother claimed the police offered the family Rs 1 lakh to remain silent on the case.

V Vignesh died on April 19, a day after he and his friend were detained for allegedly possessing drugs near Kellys area in the city.

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In a press conference Saturday, Vignesh’s elder brother Vinod said, “The police offered me Rs 1 lakh to keep mum on the case,” reported news agency ANI. Vinod also alleged there were wounds on Vignesh’s body.

“We were not allowed to see his body after the autopsy. Our house owner was threatened by the police to make us vacate the premises,” Vinod claimed.

Following the incident, the police registered a case of “suspicious death” and a police sub-inspector, a constable and a home guard personnel were suspended. The case was then transferred to the Crime Branch CID police for further investigation.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin had announced a solatium of Rs 10 lak to the kin of the victim on humanitarian grounds, and assured that the probe in the case would be thorough and fair. He also informed the state legislative Assembly that the government would bear the medical expenses of Suresh, who was arrested along with Vignesh.

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