Datuk among seven held over kidnap and death of developer

PETALING JAYA: A businessman with the title Datuk was among the seven men detained in connection with the kidnap and death of property developer Datuk Seri R. Arumugam.

Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Fadzil Ahmat said the victim knew the Datuk from past meetings.

“We are not ruling out the possibility of business rivalry being the motive behind the kidnapping,” he said.

Asked whether the Datuk was the mastermind behind the plot, SAC Fadzil said it was still under investigation.

Sources said the Datuk detained had contested for a Selangor state seat during the 13th General Election.

It is learnt that another man claiming to be a lawyer was also among the seven suspects detained around Selangor on Friday and Saturday.

SAC Fadzil said two of the suspects were remanded until July 3, two until July 1 while two others until July 2 and another suspect until Tuesday.

The post-mortem on the victim’s body, which was found on Saturday, would resume on Thursday, he added.

SAC Fadzil also called for the cooperation of the public to track down Sheikh Ismail Sheikh Hassan, nicknamed “EL”, to assist with the investigation.

His last known address was Apartment Teratai, Bukit Beruntung, Rawang.

“Those with information are urged to call the nearest police station,” he added.

On Saturday, the body of Arumugam, 55, was uncovered in the bushes of Jalan RawangBestari Jaya at about 9am. He was abducted while jogging in Bandar Sri Damansara here on June 10.

Seven men, including a Bangladeshi, are detained in connection with the case. They are aged between 30 and 50.

According to the police, the suspects had demanded S$50mil (RM154mil) ransom from the victim’s family but it was not paid.

One of the suspects led the police to the victim’s body, which was already decomposing.

SAC Fadzil previously said the suspects claimed that the victim had died three or four days after he was kidnapped.