The Inspector of Police, C.B., C.I.D., Madras, on the lodging of a report, registered a case against the petitioners herein for alleged offences under section 120-B read with Sections 147, 148, 364, 302 and 201, I.P.C. and took up investigation. The investigation revealed that six murders were committed on different dates by the petitioners and consequently they were arrested and later remanded to custody by the Magistrate, as detailed below :

The remand periods were extended on various dates by the Magistrate time and again. The petitioners were placed under detention under the provisions of the National Security Act. The investigating agency was stated to be having obstacles in the course of investigation relating to the identity of the deceased, since skeletons of five of the murder victims alone were recovered during investigation. The modern techniques of investigation as respects the identity of the deceased were stated to be adopted, thereby delaying the process of completion of investigation within the statutory period contemplated under Section 167, Cr.P.C. Despite all such insurmountable difficulties, investigation was however completed and a charge-sheet/final