Man alleges torture by NIA sleuths

Febin Rahaman, a resident of Ragarathinam Nagar near Selvapuram, on Wednesday alleged that he was subjected to third-degree methods by sleuths of National Investigation Agency in the name of interrogation.

In a petition to Police Commissioner K Periaiah, Rahaman said that he was interrogated thrice by NIA sleuths at its camp office in Coimbatore. According to the petitioner, he was first summoned on April 11 and subjected to third degree torture.

He alleged that he was called again on April 14 and was forced to speak about Popular Front of India. The same was vidoegraphed. He alleged that he was called for interrogation without a summon on April 18 and subjected to torture. Though NIA sleuth asked him to appear before them on April 19, Mr. Rahaman could not appear. He was later asked to appear for interrogation at NIA’s Chennai office on April 20.

However, according to Mr. Rahaman, he left the city and did not appear in Chennai fearing further torture.

The petitioner said that he even thought of ending life fearing torture but returned home on May 1. The petitioner, who came to the office of the Police Commissioner with parents and relatives, claimed innocence and sought protection from the police.

Eight arrested

The Tirupur police have arrested eight persons who robbed 18 sovereign of jewellery and ₹ 4 lakh from the house of a textile company owner posing as Income Tax (IT) sleuths on April 24.

The arrested have been identified as Jayaram (42) of Sedarpalayam, Karthi (38) of Ganapathi, Duraisarguru (39) from Erode, Karthi (37) from Edayarpalayam, Venugopal (48), Ragu (29) from Ramanathapuram, Arumugam (38) from Kavundampalayam and Muthukumar (25) from Ganapathi. The police said that the six of the eight arrested committed the burglary at the house of Sivakumar, a textile company owner from Anupparpalayam, on April 24 when his wife and children were at home.