The father of Ramkumar, the alleged killer of Infosys techie Swathi, spoke to television reporters on Thursday and said that his son was innocent and the police targeted him because of his community.
He spoke to media outside his home in Tirunelveli, detailing the moment when the cops arrived and caught his son. His wife had reportedly fled from the spot shortly after.
All of this happened to insult and intimidate our community. This is only to somehow catch someone. Two constables have planted answers and were under duress from the beginning. I was at home, they knocked on my door, and we didn’t have power. We turned on the flashlight and saw the police, they asked for Muthukumar. We said no one called Muthukumar lives here. I have three children, two girls and one boy. They asked me where the boy is. I said he’s sleeping. They caught my son and pulled him by the legs and cuffed him. It is false that he admitted to the crime in Tirunelveli hospital.
‘’The DSP took my daughter’s bag, they searched the bag and thought it was his and took it away. You think he will be able to speak with 18 stitches, how can he plead guilty? He was lying on the floor after he slit his throat. They took his picture and circulated on WhatsApp. He cannot be the killer,” he added.
The father also said that they are not linked to the lawyer Krishnamurthy in anyway. “We are not related to Krishnamurthy in anyway, if he wants to do something, let him.”
Ramkumar allegedly murdered the 24-year-old Swathi in broad daylight on 24 June at Nungambakkam railway station in the city.
Ramkumar is in judicial custody. A public prosecutor on Thursday told a court in Chennai that a bail petition seeking the release of engineering graduate Ramkumar, prime accused in the murder of Swathi, has been filed by an advocate without the knowledge of the accused.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)