Nedumkandam, Idukki: Three police personnel - including an assistant sub-inspector, were arrested by a special investigation team (SIT) of the Crime Branch on Wednesday in connection with the custodial torture and death of a remand prisoner at the Nedumkandam police station.
The SIT apprehended former ASI Roy P Varghese, CPO Jithin K George and home guard K M James, taking the total number of cops arrested in the case pertaining to the custodial death of Kolahalamedu resident Rajkumar to seven.
Their arrest was recorded at 4 pm after a day-long interrogation at the Crime Branch camp house in Nedumkandam. Senior SIT officials confirmed that they were among the seven-member team attached to the Nedumkandam station which tortured Rajkumar.
After recording their arrest, the accused were taken to the Nedumkandam taluk hospital for medical examination. Both Roy P Varghese and K M James were admitted to hospital after their ECG demonstrated abnormalities. They will be produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate's court at Peerumedu on Thursday.
As per the statements given by the three arrested cops, they had only carried out the instructions of higher-ups.
The Crime Branch had earlier arrested former SI K A Sabu, ASI C B Rejimon, and drivers Sajeev Antony and Niyas. They are currently housed at the Devkulam sub-jail after being remanded in judicial custody.
The SIT has also sought permission to interrogate former Idukki district police chief K B Venugopal, it was learnt.
Meanwhile, the Sessions Court, Thodupuzha, will hear the bail petition filed by SI Sabu and driver Sajeev Antony on Thursday.
The probe team also found that though the police had seized Rs 2,40,000 from the accused in the financial fraud case, the amount entered in the station records was only Rs 1.97 lakh.
