The CBI, which is currently investigating the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party’s Tamil Nadu leader Armstrong, has found that police officers from the earlier Special Investigation Team (SIT) were in contact with a wanted rowdy linked to the case.
Armstrong, 52, was murdered on July 5, 2024, at Perambur in Chennai. The case was initially handled by an SIT that included then Tondiarpet inspector Buhari and then Madhavaram inspector Saravanan.
During the earlier probe, rowdy Thiruvengadam, 33—who had been arrested in the Armstrong murder case—was shot dead by inspector Buhari in what was described as an encounter in self-defence. Inspector Saravanan was also present on duty at the spot.
Both officers later came under scrutiny in a separate complaint by a businessman from Old Washermenpet, Chennai, who alleged he was threatened with being implicated in the Armstrong case and extorted of Rs 45 lakh. In that case, Buhari, now an inspector at St Thomas Mount, was arrested, while Saravanan, now at Velachery, was moved to the waiting list.
CBI officials said that while examining the encounter episode, they analysed mobile phone call records of inspectors and other police personnel who were part of the SIT. The review indicated they had contact with Sambavam Senthil, the second accused who is still absconding, allegedly through intermediaries operating as food-item dealers. The CBI said it plans to take Buhari, currently lodged in Puzhal prison, into custody for further questioning.
