Swift Court Action Rekindles Faith in India’s Judiciary

By Grace Anu Backia J, Counselor, People’s Watch, India

On July 22, 2025, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court delivered a landmark order, a first of its kind in terms of directing the state to pay an interim compensation of Rs. 2,500,000 (USD 28,349) to the family of the victim of a brutal custodial torture and murder- so far perhaps the first time a court directs such an award within a month of the incident.

The victim, Ajith Kumar, was a temple security staff at the Thirupuvanam town of the Sivagangai district in Tamil Nadu, India. On 29 June 2025, he was “accused” of theft, which was followed by the police brutally torturing him to death to extract a confession. Despite never confessing to the alleged crime, Ajith Kumar’s ordeal ended in tragedy at the hands of those duty-bound to protect him.

The court’s intervention in this matter has been swift and decisive. On 1st July, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court held an urgent hearing following an intervention by Joint Action Against Custodial Torture—a platform of 86 civil society organisations and political parties working against custodial deaths since June 2020. On 3 July, the court appointed a district judge to conduct an immediate inquiry, secure all evidence, and identify key witnesses, with the report submitted on 8 July 2025. In addition to awarding interim compensation swiftly, the court ordered protection for the victims’ families, eyewitnesses, and advocates under the Witness Protection Scheme 2018, while ensuring continuous monitoring of the case.

The court has stepped up in this matter of gross violation of human rights, as the judge underscored the constitutional responsibility of the State, in this case, the police, in protecting the people rather than torturing them. He also stated, “When police go wrong, the state at large should be able to provide justice.” The orders with regard to this case have once again reinstated the trust in the idea of justice in the courtrooms. At a time when India lacks separate legislation against torture, this move of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has highlighted the judiciary’s innovative approach in safeguarding justice. The case was initiated by the young advocates from the village of the victim and has been pursued since then by People’s Watch, a civil society organisation that works with victims of torture in the country.

This article was first published in the Community Corner of our Just Reparation newsletter. These contributions are invaluable in enriching our collective understanding and fostering meaningful dialogue within the reparation community of practice. If you would like to be featured, we encourage you to submit your contributions to [email protected].