No plan to hurt or kill Dharmendran, police inspector tells court

The Serious Crime Branch (D9) operation officer, Inspector S Hare Krishnan told the High Court here today that he and three others did not plan or intend to hurt or kill N Dharmendran, who died in a police lock-up in 2013.

Hare Krishnan, 43, who was then attached to the D9 Branch of Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent headquarters, said he did not even cause any form of injury to Dharmendran, who was detained on suspicion of attempted murder involving firearms.

The police inspector, who is currently on suspension, also denied that he and the three others were involved in Dharmendran's murder.

He said this during the examination-in-chief by his counsel M Athimulan in the defence proceedings before Judge Kamardin Hashim.

Hare Krishnan said that in the investigation of Dharmendran's case, he did not interrogate Dharmendran as the task was carried out by the interrogation team and he did not give any instruction for his men to interrogate Dharmendran.

Responsibility of lock-up officer

On Dharmendran's safety in the lock-up, Hare Krishnan said it was the responsibility of the lock-up officer and the 24-hour police officer on duty, and not his.

When asked how did he learn about Dharmendran's death, Hare Krishan said he learned about through a telephone call from the 24-hour police officer on duty, Corporal Nizam, at 4.30pm on May 21, 2013.

He said at that time, he had just reached home in Cheras after taking a statement from a shooting victim at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM).

Meanwhile, during cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor Suhaimi Ibrahim, Hare Krishnan said he never went to see Dharmendran in the lock-up even though he had access to do so.

Hare Krishnan, Sergeant Jaffri Jaafar, 46, Corporal Mohd Nahar Abd Rahman, 47, and Corporal Mohd Haswadi Zamri Shaari, 34, were accused of killing Dharmendran at the D9 interrogation room on Level 7 of the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent headquarters in Jalan Hang Tuah between May 18 and 21, 2013.

They face the death sentence in convicted under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

On Dec 12, 2014, Kamardin acquitted the four policemen from the murder charge at the end of the prosecution case without calling for their defence.

However, on Feb 26, 2016, the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court acquittal of the policemen over the murder of Dharmendran and ordered them to enter their defence.

On April 28, 2016, the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) set up to investigate the death of Dharmendran found that he had died due to the use of physical force by the police.

The trial continues tomorrow.

- Bernama