PETALING JAYA: Car theft suspect S Balamurugan, 44, who died in police custody, was a police informer for six years before he died, a hearing was told today.

Corporal Mohd Luqmanul Hakim Mukhtar also admitted he had known about Balamurugan’s heart condition but had not informed anyone.

“He told me he had heart problems in 2016.

“(During the arrest on Feb 6) Bala was not on the wanted list. We were looking for Tamilasan (Karapiah).

“When he saw me (after his detention in a police station), he asked, ‘I want to go back.’ I put up my hand up and told him to hold on.

“It did not cross my mind to inform other officers of his heart condition.

“I felt it was not the right time to tell them that he was my informer as Inspector Mohaneswaran (from Klang Selatan district police headquarters serious crimes) was talking to him,” he said.

Luqmanul said this at a hearing conducted by the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC).

The hearing is being held to determine if there was any police misconduct in the death of Balamurugan that led to his death on the night of Feb 7.

Luqmanul said he told his senior, Inspector Vicknes Waran Poobalan, later that night that Balamurugan was a police informer during their drive to Banting.

“I had the intention to help him,” he told EAIC chairman Yaacob Md Sam, who asked him if he wanted to help his friend.

“You said he (Balamurugan) was your friend and yet you did not inform the officers immediately that he had a heart problem. You did not tell them he is of value to the police,” said Yaacob.

Yaacob also asked him if he had good intentions, why had he written degrading messages in the Klang Utara police district headquarters WhatsApp chat group about Balamurugan.

The Bar Council’s lawyer, Sivaraj Retinasekharan, asked if Luqmanul was truly sympathetic towards Balamurugan.

Luqmanul said he didn’t know the magistrate had rejected Balamurugan’s remand order.

Sivaraj showed WhatsApp messages of him sending three thumbs-up emojis in response to the message that he had been re-arrested.

Luqmanul had also sent insulting messages to the group WhatsApp chat when another officer had put up a photo of Balamurugan.

He had replied: “Just give him Carlsberg, he will be ok.”

To messages that said Balamurugan was trembling, Luqmanul had said just let him “drink” and he would be okay.

When Sivaraj asked what he meant by these messages, Luqmanul said he was just joking.

Luqmanul said he had known Balamurugan since 2011 and had even gone to his house.

“We met when I first arrested him. He was a car repossessor and it appeared like he was stealing cars. But after checks, 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,” Luqmanul said, adding that Balamurugan was not paid for the tip-offs.

Resource : Free Malaysia Today