The court quashed the chargesheet against the parents citing insufficient evidence, while proceedings against Jaipal will continue.
Madurai. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has quashed the chargesheet filed against Saravanan and Krishnakumari, the parents of the main accused, Surjeet, in the murder case of Dalit IT employee C. Kavin Selvaganesh, which took place on July 27, 2025, in KTC Nagar, Tirunelveli. Justice R. Vijayakumar issued the order while dismissing a petition filed by Jaipal, Surjeet’s relative, seeking quashing of the chargesheet against him.
Kavin Selvaganesh, approximately 25 years old, was a resident of Arumugamangalam village in Tuticorin district. He belonged to the Devendra Kula Vellalar (Scheduled Caste/Pallalar) community. After completing his engineering studies, he worked as a software engineer at an IT company like TCS in Chennai. He was a university gold medalist and the first-generation graduate in his family. His mother, Tamilselvi, is a government school teacher.
On July 27, 2025, Kavin went with his mother to a private Siddha clinic in KTC Nagar, Tirunelveli, where his girlfriend, Subhashini (a Siddha practitioner), worked. Subhashini belongs to the Maravar (Mukkulathor/Thevar community, MBC). Her brother, Surajit, allegedly called Kavin out of the clinic, saying that their parents wanted to meet him. While escorting him on a bike, Surajit hurled caste-based slurs and stabbed him multiple times with a sickle hidden behind his back. Kavin tried to escape but succumbed to his injuries on the spot. The murder occurred in broad daylight. Kavin’s mother, Tamilselvi, filed a complaint.
According to the police, this was a caste-based ‘honor killing’ due to an inter-caste love affair. Surjeet surrendered. Both his parents were sub-inspectors in the Tamil Nadu Special Police Force, who were suspended. Saravanan and Jaipal were arrested first, while Krishnakumari was arrested later (in May 2026).
The prosecution alleged that the parents were aware of the plan and assisted. The case was handed over to the CBI-CID. The CBI-CID filed a charge sheet in October 2025 based on the statements of 83 witnesses.
Kavin’s family had demanded the arrest of the accused’s parents before accepting the body. The High Court had previously ordered an examination of CCTV footage (from the Tirunelveli-Sivalaperi NHAI stretch).
In the latest order, the court dismissed the charge sheet against the parents, citing insufficient evidence, while proceedings against Jaipal will continue. This decision raises questions about the quality of investigation and evidence in cases of caste-based violence.
Geetha Sunil Pillai
Courtesy: Hindi News