Jai Bhim 2021

In 1993, Rajakannu and Sengeni, a couple from the Irula tribe, toil in the fields under the eye of upper-caste landowners who use their labor to manage pests like rats and venomous snakes. One day, Rajakannu is sent to capture a snake at a wealthy man’s home, and soon after, a burglary is reported: jewelry goes missing from the house, and suspicion falls squarely on Rajakannu. The police storm Rajakannu’s home, arrest and brutalize him, and detain Sengeni—who is pregnant—while also imprisoning his brother Iruttappan, his sister Pachaiammal, and his brother-in-law Mosakutty to squeeze information about Rajakannu’s whereabouts. Sengeni is eventually released, but Rajakannu remains in custody and is tortured to extract a confession. Later, Sengeni learns that all three detainees have vanished, and the police threaten her to reveal where they went.

Mythra, who teaches adults from the Irula community, learns of Chandru, a lawyer who takes up cases for tribal people, and convinces him to seek justice for Sengeni. After hearing Sengeni’s story, Chandru files a habeas corpus petition in court, which directs them to pursue the matter in a lower court. Chandru pushes for a witness examination—something not typical in habeas corpus proceedings—and he cites the Rajan case to persuade the court. The Solicitor General appears for the police and argues that the evidence shows Rajakannu and the others escaped from custody the night they were taken in. Chandru soon uncovers that the police have been engaging in perjury and asks the court to investigate Sub-Inspector Gurumurthy, head constable Veerasamy, and constable Kirubakaran.

Advocate General Ram Mohan, standing for the state, contends that the three accused men fled to Kerala. The tale begins to unfold further when Varadarajulu, Iruttappan’s employer, confirms that Iruttappan had spoken of fleeing after a robbery. Chandru discovers that the police went to Kerala to place a call to Varadarajulu and that Guru mimicked Iruttappan’s voice. At Chandru’s request, the court appoints Inspector General Perumalsamy as the lead investigator. After weeks of searching, Chandru and Perumalsamy realize Rajakannu’s body had in fact been recovered on a road near the Pondicherry border the day after his disappearance, and it was cremated according to procedure. The pair conclude that Rajakannu did not die in a car accident but was murdered in police custody.

Chandru probes the postmortem findings with a pathologist at JIPMER, who believes Rajakannu’s death resulted from a broken rib cage likely caused by a vehicle accident, not a simple mishap. Veerasamy admits to Ram Mohan that the death occurred in custody due to torture, and Veerasamy contacts Guru, instructing him to claim that both Rajakannu and the others escaped and that Rajakannu’s death was the result of a car crash. Mosakutty and Iruttappan are transferred to another jail in Kerala. Faced with the mounting evidence, Ram Mohan advises maintaining the police narrative in court. Chandru then examines call histories and reveals a late-night call to Guru’s residence at 9:10 p.m., a detail that does not align with Veerasamy’s testimony. He asks for more time to investigate further.

The pursuit of justice expands into a broader campaign with Mythra, Sengeni, and the Irular community. Mythra tracks down Iruttappan and Mosakutty in a jail near Dharapuram, and they testify in court about the torture they endured and how Rajakannu was killed. Perumalsamy reveals that the police had taken bribes from the real thief to cover up the truth. Chandru also highlights tyre marks on a road that match the police truck from Guru’s station, and the footprints found at the crime scene align with those of Guru and Kirubakaran. With this mountain of evidence and the final arguments from both sides, the court orders an expedited murder-trial against the three police officers and orders their immediate arrest. The court commends Perumalsamy and Chandru for their relentless work.

In a formal recognition of the suffering endured, Sengeni is awarded ₹3 lakhs (equivalent to roughly ₹18 lakh or US$23,000 in 2020) plus half a ground of land in her village. Iruttappan, Mosakutty, and Pachaiammal each receive ₹2 lakhs (roughly ₹12 lakh or US$15,000 in 2020). Sengeni expresses gratitude to Chandru, and Chandru attends the inauguration of Sengeni’s new house, a gesture that fulfills Rajakannu’s dream of giving Sengeni a home.