‘Arrest Nikitha for false plaint against my son’

Madurai: A day after CBI informed Madras high court that the jewellery theft case against Madapuram temple security guard B Ajith Kumar, who was beaten to death by Sivaganga district police while in custody, was closed due to lack of evidence, his mother, B Malathi, urged CBI to arrest Nikitha, who lodged a false jewel theft complaint against her son.She told reporters at Madapuram in Sivaganga district on Thursday that CBI clearing her son's name in the theft case brought her peace even though she knew he did not commit the offence. "However, the pain of losing my son still remains. My son died as he was brutally assaulted by police. They treated my son like a terrorist. All policemen responsible for my son's death should be punished," she said.Apart from arresting Nikitha, CBI should find out on whose instructions she lodged a false complaint, and take action against those responsible. "I believe in CBI and we are satisfied with the investigation so far," she added. The family's advocate, Ganesh, said the CBI's clean chit has brought relief to Ajith Kumar's family, who have been living with the stigma for the past six months. He urged courts not to grant bail to the arrested police personnel as this may lead to tampering of evidence. The trial in the case should also be expedited, he said. He also urged the govt to provide compensation to Naveen Kumar, Praveen Kumar, Arun, and Vinoth, who were beaten up by police along with Ajith Kumar, since they too suffered custodial torture.Ajith Kumar, who was security guard at Batharakaliamman temple in Madapuram, died during custodial interrogation on June 28, 2025. He was picked up for interrogation in a case pertaining to alleged gold jewellery theft from a car owned by Nikitha when she and her mother visited the temple the previous day. The state transferred the custodial death case and the jewel theft case to CBI, which arrested six policemen including driver of the van in which Ajith Kumar was transported. CBI in its supplementary chargesheet named four more as accused apart from the six.