Sivaganga Custodial Death Case: Complainant in Gold Theft Was Previously Accused in ₹16 Lakh Job Scam

Fresh developments have surfaced in the Sivaganga custodial death case, revealing that the complainant in the gold theft FIR that led to the custodial death of 27-year-old B. Ajith Kumar was herself previously named in a serious forgery case.

J.P. Nikitha, 36, who filed the complaint at Thirupuvanam police station, was one of six individuals booked by the Thirumangalam police in 2011 for cheating and forgery. According to the First Information Report registered on May 10, 2011, the accused — including Nikitha and her family members — allegedly defrauded job seekers of a total of ₹16 lakh by promising them government jobs.

The FIR, based on a complaint by 65-year-old S. Rajangam of Tirumangalam, stated that the accused demanded ₹9 lakh for a teaching position and ₹7 lakh for a Village Administrative Officer (VAO) post. The alleged fraud occurred between December 21, 2010, and February 2, 2011.

The accused included J. Sivagamani Ammal (60), her husband Jeyaperumal (65), son J.P. Kaviyarasu alias J. Vaibhav Saran, daughter-in-law K. Sugadevi (29), daughter J.P. Nikitha, and Bhagat Singh (32), all from Vilangudi, Tirumangalam. The complainant claimed that the group had promised government job offers within 15 days but became untraceable after collecting the money and even issued threats when approached later.

Police had booked all six under IPC Sections 406 (Criminal Breach of Trust) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property).

Henri Tiphagne, executive director of Madurai-based human rights organisation People’s Watch, commented that the emergence of such serious allegations against the complainant in the gold theft case has significantly undermined her credibility. He emphasized that while multiple facts are surfacing, it is important not to draw conclusions prematurely as a judicial probe is ongoing.