Citing Police’s ‘Miserable Failure’, Madras HC Orders CBI Probe Into K Armstrong Murder Case – Delhi News Daily

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) state president K Armstrong. (File photo via X/@UrbanShrink)

The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) state president K Armstrong.

The court also slammed the Greater Chennai Police, who have been investigating the case for over a year, calling their efforts a “miserable failure” for not following basic investigation procedures.

K Armstrong, 52, a Dalit leader, was hacked to death by an armed gang in Chennai’s Perambur area in July 2024. He was attacked by a group of eight men armed with machetes and knives. Police have linked the murder to gang rivalry and the 2023 killing of gangster “Arcot” Suresh.

Justice P Velmurugan issued the order after allowing a petition filed by Armstrong’s brother, K Immanuvel, who argued that the Chennai Police had failed to properly investigate the case. The judge’s main criticism was the police’s failure to conduct an identification parade, a routine procedure where eyewitnesses identify suspects from a lineup, The Indian Express reported.

Armstrong’s brother, Veeramani, who survived the attack with stab wounds, had told police he could identify the assailants. Other witnesses at the scene included a driver, a real estate broker, and construction workers. Despite this, the police mainly relied on CCTV footage and deemed the identification parade unnecessary.

When Additional Advocate General P Kumaresan said photos of the accused had already been widely circulated in the media, making the parade unnecessary, Justice Velmurugan responded, “Was the media the eyewitness to the crime? Media may publish any picture for TRP.”

The judge also pointed out that many acquittals in India are due to poor police investigations rather than lack of evidence, calling Armstrong’s case a “classic example” of this.

The police investigation involves 30 accused, including family members and associates of gangster Suresh. The chargesheet, reportedly 7,087 pages long, details weapons seized such as crude bombs, a pistol, knives, and cash totalling Rs 63 lakh.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of 80 officers was formed to handle the case. Currently, 27 accused remain in judicial custody. One accused died during the investigation, while the prime suspect, Nagendran, is imprisoned in Vellore.