The police today accused human rights lawyer P Uthayakumar of hampering their investigations into his assault case by refusing to provide them with more details of the incident.

Brickfields district police chief Zulhasnan Najib Baharuddin said cooperation from the lawyer was vital in order to solve the case.

"He (Uthayakumar) is hampering investigations. How can we investigate if he does not come forward to give more information and details?

"We need his cooperation to get a statement from him as well as to give us a photo-fit and description of his assailants," he added when contacted.

Zulhasnan was responding to a letter from Uthayakumar's lawyer M Manoharan requesting for a progress report on the case. A copy of the letter was forwarded to malaysiakini .

'Police involved'

Uthayakumar, a vocal critic of police abuses, claimed that he was assaulted and threatened at gunpoint by a group of men at a residential area in Kuala Lumpur on May 10.

He said the assailants also smashed his car windows and windscreen. The lawyer sustained injuries to his head, face, legs and hands due to the assault.

The lawyer said he believed that the police top brass were behind the attack as they were unhappy with him taking cases concerning police brutality.

He also claimed that the catalyst for the attack could have been over his involvement in the case of missing detainee G Francis Udayapan .

On Tuesday, Uthayakumar said he does not want to meet the police because he has no faith in them.

"From the begining, I had no confidence in them (the police) because they are the accused. How do I give a statement to the accused?" he said.

The lawyer has since also applied for a firearms license.

Provide evidence

Commenting on the allegation of police complicity, Zulhasan said Uthayakumar should provide evidence to back his claim.

"We are not hiding anything. He should bring the evidence and we would arrest and prosecute those involved.

"If he has evidence that police personnel are behind this we will charge and prosecute them," he added.

The police have classified the assault under Section 324, 427 and 506 of the Penal Code which are intent to injure with a weapon, committing mischief and criminal intimidation.

However, Uthayakumar's counsels contended that the police should have used Section 302 and 304 instead which spells out punishments for attempted murder.

Zulhasnan contended that the three Sections were adequate.