The CBI on Tuesday arrested five policemen and a home guard in connection with the alleged custodial death of 49-year-old Rajkumar, a remand prisoner, on June 21 last year.

The agency had arrested K.A. Sabu, former sub-inspector of the Nedumkandam police station and prime accused in the case, on Monday.

The five policemen arrested on Tuesday include Rejimon, Roy P Varghese, Jithin K George, Sajeev Antony and Niyas. James K.M. is the home guard taken into custody. The accused will be presented before the Chief Judicial Magistrate court here shortly.

The court had granted six-day custody of Sabu, the prime accused, on Monday. The CBI had pointed out that further interrogation was required to ascertain whether senior officers had any role in the custodial torture.

Rajkumar, a private financier from Kolahalamedu, was taken into custody on charges of financial fraud on June 12 and was produced before the court only on June 16. He had allegedly accepted deposits from self-help groups on the promise of providing them loans. However, complaints were filed at the Nedumkandam police station that he had failed to keep the promise.

Rajkumar was allegedly subjected to severe torture at the Nedumkandam police station from June 12 to June 15, leading to his death on June 21.

A post-mortem examination was conducted at the Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital and the wounds in the body were noted in the post-mortem report.