Vignesh was arrested by the police on April 18 over alleged possession of marijuana.
The policemen involved in the custodial death of a 25-year-old man in Chennai last month have been charged for murder, Chief Minister M K Stalin announced in the Tamil Nadu assembly today. Earlier, the police had filed a case of suspicious death.
The post mortem report on the body of the man, Vignesh, has revealed 13 different wounds, including on his head, near eye and cheek. However, the exact cause of death is yet to be established as more reports are awaited.
The man, Vignesh, was arrested on April 18 over alleged possession of marijuana. He died the next day. While police claim Vignesh died after suffering a seizure, the family and rights activists allege he was tortured.
The police has transferred the investigation to the Crime Branch, Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) and two cops including a Sub Inspector have been suspended.
This morning, Opposition leader and AIADMK's Joint Coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswamy moved a call attention motion in the assembly over the law and order in the state. His party, the AIADMK, staged a walkout demanding a CBI probe in the case.
"How can our police investigate itself when the Chief Minister himself has said it's a case of murder. Only a CBI probe can bring out the truth," Mr Palaniswamy said.
Sensational CCTV footage surfaced earlier this week that shows two cops chasing Vignesh as he stumbles and falls. The cops later arrest the man and beat him once with what appears to be a police baton.
As the police personnel take him into custody, one cop is seen picking up something from the ground, which police sources claim was a knife Vignesh threw at them during the chase.
Investigators say an enquiry is underway with the cops involved and other changes on record would happen soon based on the outcome.
Police say Vignesh who was travelling in an auto was found in possession of cannabis (ganja) and he attempted to attack police with a knife and escape. It was then that he was chased and arrested, the police officials say. The next morning Vignesh, who used to ride horses on the beach for joy rides, reportedly suffered seizures and could not be saved despite medical help, they said.
The family's suspicion of foul play strengthened after the police reportedly donated ₹ 1 lakh to them.