SHAH ALAM: Police have initiated an inquiry into allegations of police brutality by a former workshop manager during his detention by Serdang police last week.
Selangor police chief Commissioner Datuk Arjunaidi Mohamed today said that Joseph Prakash Sukumaran was summoned for questioning by Serdang police following a domestic violence report lodged by his wife.
He said on seeing his wife while at the police station, the suspect allegedly became aggressive and threatened to kill her.
“The police advised the suspect to not create a din at a police station but it went unheeded. He continued the aggression and called out ‘polis bodoh’ (stupid police). In the process of arresting the suspect, he put up a struggle and minimal force was used to apprehend him,“ Arjunaidi said.
He said a urine test on the suspect for drug abuse showed positive for methamphetamine.
Arjunaidi said checks also showed that the man has eight past criminal records for serious crimes and drug-related offences.
He said on Friday the suspect was charged at the Petaling Jaya Magistrate’s Court for disorderly conduct in a police station under Section 90 of the Police Act 1967, two counts of using indecent or abusive words under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act and for obstructing a civil servant from carrying out his duties under Section 186 of the Penal Code.
“He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was freed on court bail. On the same day, he lodged a police report at the Bandar Kinrara police station alleging police brutality during his detention. We have commenced an inquiry into the allegations which will be undertaken by the Selangor police CID,“ Arjunaidi said.
An online news portal reported today that Sukumaran alleged that the police “punched, choked and threw a chair at him” during detention.
The man sought treatment at a hospital where he was found to have suffered soft tissue injury to various parts of his body.
The news report claimed that Sukumaran’s wife had also lodged a report detailing the assault on the suspect by the police.
