The footage aired on Tamil TV channels after police released it on Sunday – the day K Thiruvengadam, one of the key accused arrested for Armstrong’s murder, was shot dead by police when he allegedly attempted to flee after attacking an officer. The footage purportedly shows the role played by Thiruvengadam in Armstrong’s murder.

Presiding over a special Division Bench with Justice Sunder Mohan, Justice Venkatesh brought up the broadcasting of the footage amid discussions regarding repeated violations of minor victims’ privacy due to revelation of their identity by the media.

“The way in which they started publicising that murder in all media…, it is very unfortunate that these things keep happening,” he said.

The judge was particularly critical of the police’s apparent attempt to justify the killing of Thiruvengadam. “What is it that the police are attempting to prove? People will keep on criticising and saying something. That does not mean that you will show every aspect of the murder, inch by inch, on television just to justify the killing of one of the suspects in an encounter,” he said.

Justice Venkatesh raised concern that the premature release of such crucial evidence could hinder the judicial process. “If all the important information collected during the course of the investigation gets leaked like this, and the identity of the suspects is revealed by the media, it will become very tough for the criminal courts of justice to convict them after a full-fledged trial,” he said.

He also referred to the impending challenge posed by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure from July 1. This new law mandates the videographing of witness and victim statements. “When the statements are given by a victim, what is the guarantee that these videos will not get leaked? A girl victim, as such, will be terrified. Yet, now, it is mandated that her statement should be videographed. What will happen if the video is leaked? This is the next biggest challenge that we will be facing,” he said.

In the CCTV footage released by city police, the suspects, including Thiruvengadam, can be seen conducting a recce near Armstrong’s residence in Sembium. Hours after Thiruvengadam’s encounter, another video was released showing the suspects walking and riding on two-wheelers through the narrow street where Armstrong and his aides were attacked. Around 7.15 pm, the gang converged and launched their attack on Armstrong. The first assault, police say, was made by Ramu alias Vinoth, who carried country bombs. Thiruvengadam followed with the second attack. The footage showed two men, Ponnai Balu and G Arul, riding a two-wheeler, and other suspects, Vijay and Santhosh, disguised as food delivery agents, attacking Armstrong. Although there were 10 construction workers at the site, one suspect used a machete to drive them away.