Summary: Rathinaraj, accused of drowning his nephews in Thoothukudi, was found not guilty by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court because there wasn't enough evidence.
On January 21, 2026, Judges G.K. Ilanthiraiyan and R. Poornima of the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court made a decision in the case involving Rathinaraj, who was accused of killing his brother's children in Thoothukudi on February 22, 2020. The case was first decided by the II Additional District and Sessions Court, Thoothukudi, which found Rathinaraj guilty based on indirect evidence.
According to the prosecution, Rathinaraj took the children to a well in Vilathikulam, Thoothukudi, and supposedly pushed them in, causing their deaths. The children’s bodies were later found in the well, and charges were brought against Rathinaraj.
"The appellant had allegedly taken the children... but the children did not return home that day."
The defense argued that the prosecution did not prove a reason why Rathinaraj would commit the crime or provide any witnesses who saw it happen. They pointed out issues like the delay in recording witness statements and inconsistencies in testimonies. For instance, some witnesses changed their stories, and the timeline of events was questioned due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
"None of the prosecution witnesses have seen the appellant... murdering the deceased children."
The High Court found that the evidence wasn't strong enough to prove guilt without any doubt. The judges noted that the case relied too much on indirect evidence and lacked a clear sequence of events leading to the crime. The Court also pointed out that the confession outside the court wasn't supported by other evidence.
"The prosecution has failed to convince this Court beyond reasonable doubts..."
Due to these gaps, the court found Rathinaraj not guilty, canceling the previous conviction and sentence. The judgment emphasized the need for strong evidence in cases based on indirect evidence to ensure justice.
