Udayakumar Custodial Death Case: Supreme Court Issues Notice on CBI Plea

April 17, 2026

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Friday issued notice on the CBI’s petition challenging the acquittal of the accused in the Udayakumar custodial death case.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta sought a response in the matter and scheduled the next hearing for May 19, 2026.

Challenging Kerala High Court’s decision
The petition has been filed challenging the Kerala High Court’s August 2025 decision, which acquitted all the accused, including policemen, citing flaws in the investigation.

Allegations of Torture in Custody
According to the prosecution, 28-year-old Udayakumar was detained from Srikanteswaram Park in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, 2005.

He was taken to the Fort Police Station and allegedly severely beaten during interrogation, leading to his death that night. The post-mortem examination revealed severe injuries to his thighs as the cause of death.

Journey from Conviction to Acquittal
In the initial hearing of the case, several accused were convicted, and two policemen were sentenced to death, while others were convicted on charges of conspiracy and destruction of evidence.

However, the Kerala High Court later acquitted all of them, citing contradictions in witness statements, flaws in the investigation, and several witnesses turning hostile.

Now the Supreme Court will review
The Supreme Court will now examine the validity of the Kerala High Court’s decision in this nearly two-decade-old case, and a significant decision is expected in the subsequent hearing.