PUTRAJAYA: S. Balamurugan, who died in custody, was a police informant for six years, the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) inquiry heard today.

Corporal Mohd Luqmanul Hakim Mukhtar said he had known Balamurugan since 2011 and had even visited him at his house.

"We met when I first arrested him. He was a car repossessor and it appeared like he was stealing cars. But there was no offence. Since then he became my informer and had tipped me off on vehicle theft cases. He has contacted me many times in the past," Mohd Luqmanul said.

On Feb 6, when Balamurugan was arrested, Mohd Luqmanul was contacted by his (Balamurugan) younger brother S. Kumar and he went to Bandar Baru Klang station where Balamurugan was held.

When Balamurugan saw Mohd Luqmanul he told him that he wanted to go home, but Mohd Luqmanul said he gestured to him to wait.

EAIC chairman Datuk Yaacob Md Sam asked if he did not feel sorry or concerned seeing his friend there, and Mohd Luqmanul said he was.

However, the Bar Council's lawyer Sivaraj Retinasekharan questioned if Mohd Luqmanul was truly sympathetic of Balamurugan.

Mohd Luqmanul said he didn't know the magistrate had rejected an application to remand Balamurugan, but Sivaraj showed whatsapp messages of him sending three thumbs-up emojis to the message of re-arresting him.

He also had sent insulting messages on a group whatsapp for the police officers in Klang Utara station.

Officers had sent photos of Balamurugan in a weakened state, and Mohd Luqmanul reportedly said: "Just give him Carlsberg he will be ok."

To messages that said Balamurugan was trembling, Mohd Luqmanul had reportedly said: "Just let him 'drink' and he would be ok."

Sivaraj asked what he meant by these messages and Mohd Luqmanul said he was just joking.

Meanwhile, the testimony of the main officer implicated in causing Balamurugan's death contradicted all the previous testimonies heard including of other police officers.

Inspector Mohaneswaran Thiagarajah said that he had only spoken to the three accused in a loud voice but denied that he was yelling.

He also denied having beaten any of them and claimed to have left Bandar Baru Klang station when Inspector Vickneswaran Poobalan and the rest left to Banting.

When lawyers asked about the previous statements by the officers who said he raised his voice and the accused who said they were beaten by him, Mohaneswaran said: "Those are all lies. Not true."

The inquiry into the death in custody of Balamurugan during the early hours of Feb 8 at the Klang Utara district police station will continue tomorrow.

Balamurugan was arrested with K. Tamilasan and juvenile Ang Tian Kok by the Klang Utara district police motorcycle patrol unit on Feb 6 as the vehicle they were in at that time was suspected to have been used in a robbery.

The hearing was to identify whether or not there was any misconduct by police personnel as provided under Section 24 of the EAIC Act 2009 in handling the detainees.

A total of 55 witnesses are expected to be called to provide their statement or account on the incident.

Resource : The Sun Daily