A police inspector stationed in Sulur has been suspended following serious lapses in a murder investigation, according to a report.
The suspension comes in the wake of revelations that the probe was shoddy and led to a wrongful arrest.
The case dates back two months, when a resident of Palayamkottai named Jayaraman was found murdered in Chennai. His body was disposed of in a well at Malumichampatti, near Coimbatore. Only after two suspects—Balamurugan (45) and Murugaperumal (24)—surrendered at Chettipalayam police station did the police become aware of the crime.
An initial internal probe concluded that the inspector overseeing the case, Lenin Appadurai, coerced one of the suspects into confessing, despite knowing the individual was not involved in the crime. Allegations suggest Appadurai may have been trying to shield the actual perpetrator.
Coimbatore Range Deputy Inspector General of Police V. Sasimohan has ordered an internal investigation led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police. That inquiry will examine whether Appadurai had personal connections with the suspects and will assess the full extent of procedural misconduct.
