COIMBATORE: Mahalingapuram police arrested one of its sub-inspectors on Saturday, on charges of extorting money from four members of a family involved in the murder of a 24-year-old youth with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The accused SI Navaneethan (27) of Tenkasi had joined duty in 2021. After serving in various districts, he was posted at Mahalingapuram police station in October 2024.
"We have arrested him for receiving a total of Rs 1.72 lakh in cash and 18 sovereigns of gold ornaments from the rehabilitation home managing trustee Dr Kavitha, her husband Lakshman, and her two daughters Shreya and Shruthi to not arrest them in connection with the murder of the youth," said sources in Mahalingapuram police station.
"The SI had gone to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala to arrest them but delayed the arrest. However, another team arrested them and later during investigation, it was found that the SI received money and gold ornaments. The family also confessed to this to senior officials," they said.
Police sources said, Mahalingapuram police arrested 11 people, including four members of a family, on charges of murdering SR Varunkanth (24) of Karavali Mathappur with ADHD on May 12, and was staying at Yuthira Charitable Trust (Special Children Care and Training) in Pollachi. The 11 persons were arrested for their involvement in beating the youth to death and later burying him in the trust's farmland. They claimed that the youth refused to obey them.