Cops to be charged with murder over detainee Dharmendran's death

Police personnel who were allegedly involved in the death of detainee N. Dharmendran in lock-up will be charged Wednesday afternoon with murder, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said in a statement.

He said the dedicated task force established by the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the matter completed its investigation and submitted the relevant investigation papers to the A-G's Chambers on Monday.

"Based on the evidence gathered through the investigation, I have decided to proffer a murder charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code against the police personnel involved.

"The police personnel concerned are to be indicted in court this afternoon, June 5, 2013," he added.
He said although the events involved were regrettable, the swift police action on the matter was nonetheless commendable.

Dharmendran was found dead in his cell while in police custody at the D9 Branch Lock-Up at the Kuala Lumpur Contingent Headquarters (IPK Kuala Lumpur) on May 21.

He had been arrested on May 11 on suspicion of attempted murder involving firearms and held under remand from May 12 until his death.

Based on the post mortem examination conducted at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital on May 22, the cause of death was determined to be "diffused soft tissue injuries due to multiple blunt force trauma".