A Special CBI Court in Kerala on 25 July sentenced two police officers to death and three others to three years imprisonment for custodial death, reported in 2005.

The two police officers, K Jithakumar and SV Sreekumar, have also been fined Rs 2 lakh each. They were found guilty, and they reportedly tried to destroy evidence in the death of Udayakumar, a 26-year-old man. 

Udayakumar was arrested by the Fort police in Thiruvananthapuram on 27 September 2005, along with his friend Suresh on mere suspicion of theft, because the latter had a history of petty crimes and the police found Rs 4,000 in his possession. 

The CBI had taken over the investigation of the case following a high court order based on a petition filed by Udayakumar's mother, Prabhavathi. The hearing of the trial began in October 2016. 

It is alleged that in the police station, Udayakumar was subjected to third-degree torture and died. There were allegations that the police tried to snatch the money from Udayakumar, which he resisted. 

It is also alleged that the victim was tied naked on a table, and wooden sticks were being rolled all over his body.