Brickfields OCPD ACP Zul Hasnan Najib Baharudin has become the subject of a police report which claims that the he is withholding crucial information on the case of a missing detainee - who purportedly escaped from police custody last Friday.

The detainee's mother, G Sara Lilly ( photo, right ), 45, lodged a report this afternoon stating she has no more confidence in the ability of Brickfields police to conduct a proper investigation.

She claimed that officers from the district are themselves involved in the disappearance of her son, G Francis Udayapan, 24.

Today is the seventh day since Francis was handcuffed at his home in Sentul and taken into police custody.

Zul Hasnan told the press last week that Francis had escaped by jumping off the first floor building as he was being taken in for interrogation, and that he then squeezed through a hole in the fence of the police station before jumping into the Klang River behind the station.

In a statement through her lawyers today, Sara said the OCPD - at a scheduled meeting with the herself, family and lawyers this afternoon - has refused to divulge details on the alleged escape of Francis, such as the circumstances, the number of policemen said to have given chase, and whether the victim was still handcuffed when he escaped.

She also questioned why the 'chasing' policemen did not jump into the river after the detainee, and why did they did not shoot the victim in the leg in order to arrest him.

Search 'still underway'

Yesterday, Sara had lodged a police report challenging the OCPD's version of events. She is convinced that the police murdered Francis while in custody and are now trying to cover this up by claiming that he had jumped into the Klang River.

She also said the official explanation given to her by officers has contradicted the story given by Zul Hasnan to the media.

At a press conference later today, ACP Zul Hasnan denied Sara's allegations that her son had been beaten to death while in custody.

According to him, their search for Francis is still in progress. The youth was last seen at around 4pm on Friday as he disappeared into the river.

"Until know, he cannot be detected. Teams from civil defence, the fire and rescue services department and the Smart team have also helped in the search, but were unsuccessful," said Zul Hasnan.

When pressed for details however, the OCPD said he was unable to furnish details on why the detainee managed to slip through a hole in the fence and outrun officers who gave chase.

He said the case is still under investigation, but that the probe would be expedited. He however added that a police personnel has been suspended over his negligence in the matter.

Three more reports

Emotions at the Brickfields station ran high for the second day today when Sara got into an altercation with a plainclothes officer who was dogging her with a video camera, after her meeting with the OCPD.

As observers were barred from entering stations grounds, reporters watched from outside the station as the mother of five - accompanied by nine others at the time - reached for the officer in attempt to stop his filming.

In response, the camera-toting policeman - claiming that she had assaulted him by slapping him on the face and grabbing his collar - called on other officers present to arrest the her.

As Sara's lawyers shielded her while she moved away, about 10 uniformed officers went after her. In the ensuing five-minute scuffle, she broke free and walked back into the station where she and two others lodged separate reports.

Sara's report claimed that the plainclothes officer started assaulting her when she openly alleged that the OCPD had lied to her, and that the police had murdered her son.

Keadilan Youth vice-president S Manickavasagam, who was present as a supporter, claimed in his police report that officers assaulted him and tried to arrest him.

Rights activist S Arutchelvan - present as part of an NGO entourage seeking a meeting with the OCPD - protested the "unprofessional" conduct of the police and the ill-treatment meted to against Sara and RN Rajah, chairperson of the Police Watch and Human Rights Committee.

The group also complained that Zul Hasnan had kept them waiting for an hour when he had scheduled the appointment at 11am today.

Discussions were also set back when Zul Hasnan tried to limit the group to five - but they insisted on all immediate family members and lawyers being present. Zul Hasnan finally relented, just after noon.

In total, six police report have been lodged since yesterday - two in direct relation to the facts surrounding Francis' case, and four in relation to alleged police misconduct.