KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer P. Uthayakumar, who was arrested for allegedly threatening a witness of the inquest into the death of a police detainee, was released yesterday but re-arrested on suspicion of making a defamatory report against the police.
Uthayakumar who was released on police bail at 1.45pm was re-arrested and brought to the Sentul district police headquarters.
The lawyer was released again after police recorded his statement on an alleged defamatory report he lodged against the police on Dec 10, 2001.
Uthayakumar had lodged a report alleging that police had refused to provide protection for a 26-year-old widow who claimed she was harassed by thugs.
On the allegation that Uthayakumar had threatened a witness in the inquest last year, Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm (II) Abu Bakar said he would be charged for criminal intimidation next Tuesday.
On Thursday, Uthayakumar was arrested outside Sepang magistrate’s court at 4.30pm after attending the inquest into the death of 19-year-old Tharmarajen Subramaniam.
In a statement, the Bar Council hit out at the police for Uthayakumar’s detention and re-arrest.
It said the incidents were clearly an unwarranted exercise of police powers.
