Fugitive inspector in Dhamendran case surrenders

Fugitive police inspector Hari Krishnan Subramaniam (pic) surrendered to police this morning. He was wanted in connection with the murder of detainee N Dhamendran.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the Inspector from the Kuala Lumpur police's serious crimes division turned up with his lawyer at 10am.

He is expected to be charged tomorrow with the murder of Dhamendran.

Hari Krishnan had been listed as "wanted" after he failed to return from his leave while under investigations into Dhamendran's murder.

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Girlfriend lodges report on behalf of fugitive cop

The girlfriend of fugitive cop S. Hare Krishnan, who is wanted over the death of detainee N. Dhamendran, has lodged a police report on his behalf, claiming he was framed.

In a text reply to The Malay Mail, City CID Chief Datuk Ku Chin Wah confirmed that a police report had been made on June 1 at the Brickfields police station in Kuala Lumpur by the girlfriend, who is currently Hare Krishnan’s spokesperson.

The message read: “We have investigated his report independently, and the results of the investigation have been forwarded to the investigating officer of Dhamendran’s death.”

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported Hare Krishnan’s claim that he was innocent and that he had been dragged into the case to “protect certain parties”.

A copy of the report obtained by Malaysiakini apparently states that Hare Krishnan had not been in the Dang Wangi police station lock-up on the day Dhamendran died, following horrific torture.

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LockUp Death - Furniture shop sales assistant's inquest postponed to Aug 12

Lim Gaik Suan (left), the mother of deceased furniture shop sales assistant Cheah Chin Lee, with a friend outside the coroner’s court after the inquest proceedings were postponed yesterday.



The inquest into the death of Cheah Chin Lee, a furniture shop sales assistant, will be held on Aug 12 and 13 -- exactly a year after his death in police custody.

The inquest, which was supposed to begin at the coroner's court here yesterday and last until Friday, had to be deferred to the new dates after M. Visvanathan, the counsel holding a watching brief for the deceased's family, informed the court that he had been admitted to hospital from July 6 to 12.

Coroner L. Umma Devi said in court that it was earlier agreed that the inquest would proceed for four days from yesterday.

"The court had blocked out these dates for the inquest. However, the counsel faxed over a medical certificate to the court yesterday (Monday) afternoon, which was a public holiday.

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Evidence was suppressed in Kugan case, says judge

A High Court judge who held that the nation's current Inspector-General of Police was responsible for the death of detainee A. Kugan, said there was also suppression of evidence during the trial.

Datuk V.T. Singham, who retired last month, said such an action amounted to undermining the judicial authority and ability of the court from performing its function.

"The evidence of Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, when considered together with the testimonies of three other witnesses, is tantamount to suppression of evidence," he said in his 128-page judgment, which was made available today.

Singham said no person of any position or rank should take the court for granted and attempt to hide the truth to escape liability.

"Police officers and Khalid must be reminded that their conduct lies not in the cold print of the statute book but in their integrity and conscience," he said.

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'Tampin lock-up death not our fault'

The death of a 43-year-old inmate at the Tampin lock-up on Saturday has nothing to do with police brutality.

State police chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Osman Salleh said a coroner and a pathologist had examined the remains of P. Karuna Nithi (pic) and both have said there were no bruises or external injuries on the deceased to suggest abuse.

“We are waiting for the final post-mortem report to see if the deceased suffered any internal injury. But as of now, the pathologist is unable to establish the cause of death,” he told reporters here. SAC Osman said the jobless man had been well taken care of when he was in the lock-up and there are CCTV recordings to prove this.

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Lock-up deaths: Home Minister assures action in Karuna Nithi case

Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has given the assurance that action will be taken against the policemen responsible for the death in lock-up of 42-year-old P. Karuna Nithi.

"I will give due attention to the case.

"If any officer or personnel had breached lock-up standard operating procedures, action will definitely be taken," he told R. Sivarasa (PKR- Subang).

He reiterated that there would be no compromise against errant personnel.

Earlier, in Parliament lobby, PKR vice-president N. Surendran, who is Pandang Serai MP, said that the post-mortem results revealed that the deceased sustained 49 injuries all over his body as a result of being beaten by a blunt object.

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We have done our part on deaths in custody – MIC boss

The leader of Malaysia’s oldest Indian political party today denied it was tame on the issue of Indian deaths in police custody.

It has been doing its job by making “powerful statements” to the Government on this matter, declared Datuk Seri G. Palanivel, president of the Malaysian Indian Congress.

“We are following up on the issue constantly. We have not been ‘tame’ on it,” Palanivel said.

Since 1990, the number of deaths in custody has shown a worrying trend, with the latest casualty being 32-year-old truck driver N. Dharmendran.

When asked by The Malaysian Insider if he would consider roping in P. Waythmoorthy, the chairman of Hindraf, the Hindu Rights Action Force, Palanivel said, “I do not have to work with him in this... I know how to work on it.”

He said he will work only with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on the matter.

The Natural Resources and Environment Minister was speaking at a press conference today after a high-level meeting to plan the party elections for the end of this year.

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Lock-up deaths: Dharmendran's son will never be able to celebrate Father's Day again, says mother

PETALING JAYA: The son of N. Dhamendran will never be able to celebrate Father's Day for the rest of his life, said S. Marry Mariay, 26, the wife of the man who was found murdered in his lock-up cell on May 21 this year.

"He is very fond of his father. In the beginning, my son didn't realise what was happening but now he is asking for his father," she said.

Dhamendran's father, V.Narayanasamy, said Father's Day would never be same for him again.

"He would call me in the morning to wish me a Happy Father's Day. He would even buy a cake and organise a small function. Now, he is gone," said Narayanasamy, who wants to see the his son's murderers behind bars.

Lock-up deaths: Cops to propose inquiry into Japanese’s death

Police will propose that there be an inquiry into the death of Japanese national Nobuhiro Matsushita who died while in a lock-up last week.

Selangor deputy police commissioner Datuk S. Thaiveegan said police would submit their investigation papers to the Deputy Public Prosecutor's office and suggest that the inquiry be held.

“It is the absolute discretion of the DPP's office to decide on this,” he said yesterday. “However, we feel an inquiry is the best solution.”

Thaiveegan said police ruled out foul play in the 33-year-old's death and had classified the case as sudden death.

“However, the mystery still remains over how he entered the country,” he said. “We are cooperating with the Japanese Embassy to dig deeper into the matter and to arrange for his body to be claimed by his family.”

Lock-up deaths: Surendran speaks out

Crusading lawyer N. Surendran has encountered many harrowing cases of deaths in custody over the past 12 years

TIME and time again, Malaysians have met their deaths in grim circumstances behind the bars of a police lock-up.

These aren't sanctioned executions nor fights between prisoners, but appear to be something altogether more sinister.

In recent weeks, a number of high profile lock-up deaths in Malaysia have brought to the fore an issue which surfaces from time to time, most notably with the death of A. Kugan at the USJ Taipan lock-up in January 2009.

The deaths of P.Karuna Nithi, R. Ramesh Jamesh, N.Dhamendran and Japanese national Nobuhiro Matsushita all made headlines recently.

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Pua says would laud Putrajaya for action on errant cops

DAP’s Tony Pua said today that he would be “the first to praise the government” if police officers found guilty of misconduct were punished.

The DAP publicity chief was responding to Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) chair Datuk Heliliah Mohd Yusof, who questioned yesterday if federal opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat (PR) would “praise any government body despite it being set up with heartfelt sincerity”.

“Let me declare upfront that I will be the first to praise the government if the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) is set up and brings to book all who are guilty of misconduct,” said Pua in a statement today.

“However, I’d like to ask the chairperson of EAIC if she actually thinks that the commission has delivered anywhere remotely close to what was promised?” added the Petaling Jaya Utara MP.

Pua pointed out that the EAIC ― which investigates complaints of abuse of power in the police force and 18 other enforcement agencies ― has only recommended one disciplinary action and two warnings to civil servants since its inception in 2011.

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Unmask fourth cop in Dhamendran’s murder, DAP MP demands

DAP’s Lim Lip Eng today pressed the police force to disclose the identity of the fourth suspect, a policeman, in the murder case of N. Dhamendran who died last month in custody.

The Segambut MP urged the police to display the name and face of the suspect, who is believed to hold the rank of Inspector, in newspapers and other media, as well as police stations nationwide.

“Another suspect in the Dhamendran case is still at large and cannot be found.

“I made a police report today to urge the authorities to place the photograph and name of the suspect in all newspapers, besides displaying it at all the police stations all over the country,” Lim said in a press conference after lodging the police report at the Jinjang Utara police station here.

According to Lim, his demand was not hard to carry out as the police always did the same when hunting for criminals. He added that a failure to do so would be proof that the police are not conducting their investigations fairly.

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Guan Eng: Death of Japanese man gives ‘international relevance’ to IPCMC calls

The demand for the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) now has “international relevance”, Lim Guan Eng said today, pointing to the latest lock-up death involving a Japanese detainee - the fourth in two weeks.

The DAP secretary-general said the prevalence of such deaths, regardless whether they were not at the hands of the police, has tarnished Malaysia’s international reputation and smeared the image of the police force.

“How many more must die before the tragedy of custodial deaths are stopped?” Lim said in a statement here.

“Only the establishment of the IPCMC can prevent needless custodial deaths and it would be very sad that a Japanese detainee must die in police custody before moving the BN federal government to act,” he added.

The Penang Chief Minister added that the public would continue to stay suspicious at the police and their interrogation methods unless they are not only assured to be clean but are also “seen to be clean”.

In the latest tragedy behind bars, Nobuhiro Matsushita, 33, was found dead at 4am yesterday in his cell at the USJ8 police station lock-up.

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Three cops charged with Dhamendran’s murder, fourth accused still at large

The police had initially claimed Dhamendran died due to “breathing difficulties”.Dhamendran’s widow M. Marry is pictured outside the courtroom with family lawyers N. Surendran and Latheefa Koya.

The police officers, who allegedly caused N. Dhamendran’s death, were charged with murder today, about two weeks after he was found dead in a police lock-up here.Dhamendran’s widow M. Marry is pictured outside the courtroom with family lawyers N. Surendran and Latheefa Koya.

The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code was read out to three policemen in the magistrate’s court here, with another accused still at large.

The three officers charged today are Jaffri Jaafar, Mohd Nahar Abd Rahman, Mohd Haswadi Zamri Sahari, with the first being a sergeant while the latter two are corporals. Their ages are 44, 45 and 32 years old respectively.

The identity of the fourth accused was not disclosed.

The penalty for those convicted under Section 302 is the mandatory death sentence.

Magistrate Nur A’minahtul Mardiah Md Nor fixed July 9 as the mention date for the case, pending the chemist’s report.

Dhamendran’s family and their lawyers N. Surendran and Latheefa Koya were also present in the courtroom, with the latter holding watching briefs.

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Three cops accused of Murder - No plea given

Dhamendran's death: No plea recorded from cops - Murder in Lock up

N. Dhamendran death in lock up (pic above) .Day in court: Dhamendran’s widow and his father leaving the courthouse in Kuala Lumpur.


Three policemen have been charged in the magistrate's court here with the murder of detainee N. Dhamendran in a lock-up.

Sjn Jaffri Jaafar, 44, Kpl Mohd Nahar Abd Rahman, 45, and Kpl Mohd Haswadi Zamri Shaari, 32 along with another policeman still at large are accused of colluding over the murder of Dhamendran, who was being investigated in a shooting incident.

The three, who wore black jackets and jeans, confirmed that they understood the charges, although no plea was recorded.

They are alleged to have committed the offence at Level 7 of the Special Investigation office in the Kuala Lumpur Contingent Headquarters in Jalan Hang Tuah between 12.20pm and 2.50pm on May 21.

The trio were represented by Datuk Hazman Ahmad, Datuk Baljit Singh Sidhu and Geethan Ram Vincent, respectively.

Magistrate Nur A'minatul Mardiah Md Nor fixed July 9 for mention of the case, when the chemist and post-mortem reports will be handed to the court.

The courtroom was packed with relatives of the deceased and reporters.

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Cops charged with murder

N. Dhamanderan’s wife, Marry Maria Susay, and family members arriving at the magistrate’s court in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Three in the dock over death of detainee N. Dhamanderan

KUALA LUMPUR: THREE policemen were yesterday charged with the murder of N. Dhamanderan, who had been held at the city police headquarters under remand for investigations into attempted murder involving firearms.

Sgt Jaffri Jaafar, 44, and Corporals Mohd Nahar Abd Rahman, 45, and Mohd Haswadi Zamri Shaari, 32, were jointly charged with the murder of Dhamanderan, 31, at the special investigation division on level 7 of the city police headquarters here between 12.20pm and 2.50pm on May 21.

They allegedly committed the offence with another person still at large. No plea was recorded.

Magistrate Nur A’minahtul Mardiah Md Nor set July 9 for mention pending the post-mortem and chemistry reports.

Datuk Hazwan Ahmad and Datuk Baljit Singh Sidhu acted for Jaffri and Nahar respectively, whileGeethan Ram Vincent appeared for Haswadi.

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Vell Paari: Deaths in police custody to be raised in Cabinet

The issue of deaths in police custody would be raised by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan in Wednesday's Cabinet meeting, said MIC strategic director S Vell Paari (pic)on Tuesday.

He said Low had given the assurance following a meeting with representatives of Indian based Non Governmental Organisations at his office in Putrajaya.

Among the Indian NGOs who attended the meeting, initiated by Pemandu director D. Ravindran were Malaysian Indian Progressive Association, Warga AMAN, Respect All Religions and Race, Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisations, People's Welfare and Rights Association and several others.

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Enforcement oversight body has just one officer to investigate 19 agencies, says CEO

Nor Afizah Hanum says the EAIC only has one investigating officer and an annual budget of RM7 million.

The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) has acknowledged it is hamstrung by only having one investigating officer to probe complaints of misconduct against 19 enforcement agencies, as public outcry grows over deaths in police custody.

It also has an annual budget of just RM7 million.

EAIC CEO Nor Afizah Hanum Mokhtar said the commission has 23 staff members, including the investigating officer, clerks, a driver, legal adviser, administrative officer and an operations director.

“We have very limited manpower,” Nor Afizah Hanum told The Malaysian Insider in an exclusive interview at her office here yesterday.

“We had six investigator posts that we got from MACC. They withdrew five on 16th May,” she added, referring to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Amid the outcry over recent deaths in police custody, there has been growing calls from the opposition and the Bar Council for the government to set up an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).


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Dharmendran died from multiple beatings, forensic report confirms

 File photo of family members mourning at Dharmendran’s funeral in Kuala Lumpur last week.

A forensic report revealed today in detail the horrific injuries that N. Dharmendran received, causing his death in custody last week.

This comes as the police force initially claimed that Dharmendran, 31, died from “breathing difficulties”, which has been refuted by the forensic report by Dr Siew Sheue Feng from Hospital Kuala Lumpur’s Department of Forensic Medicine.

“In my opinion, the cause of death was diffuse soft tissue injuries due to multiple blunt force trauma,” the report said, referring to bruises from multiple beatings.

“There was no significant natural disease found in his body that could have caused or contributed to his death at that particular moment in time.”


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