The Malaysian Insight

THE lawyer of Ganapathy Alagapan, who died in police custody, has demanded for the close-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage of the victim’s cell to see his condition in the last few days.

The lawyer, Ganesh Kanagaretnam, said he has a witness who allegedly saw Ganapathy coming out of the interrogation room in a much worse condition than he was before entering.

Ganesh said he also has information about a fully functioning CCTV in the cell at the Gombak district police headquarters.

He urged the Gombak district police chief Arifai Tarawe to give him access to the CCTV recording.

Arifai, however, told The Malaysian Insight there is no recording of Ganapathy as he was hospitalised and was receiving treatment.

Ganapathy, 40, was arrested on February 24 and held by the police for 12 days to assist in investigations into his brother’s alleged crimes.

He was then admitted to Selayang hospital where doctors had to amputate his leg to save him.

Police denied assaulting him and said Ganapathy had died of a flesh-eating disease and breathing difficulties.

His family, however, alleged that Ganapathy’s assault and negligence contributed to his death.

In a press conference today, Ganesh claimed Ganapathy was also remanded at the Shah Alam district police headquarters a month before his arrest by Gombak police on February 24.

“I was told that Ganapathy was assaulted in Shah Alam where he even lost his front teeth, so I would like also have a look at the CCTV footage there before and after Ganapathy left the police station,” Ganesh added. – May 31, 2021.