Student activist Khalid Ismath who claims to be a victim of mistaken identity was released yesterday afternoon after the police failed to get a court order to extend his remand.

khalid ismath lookalike in bersih 3.0 kick a police officer Police detained the 22-year-old Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) student last Saturday morning for investigation into a photo which shows a man attacking a traffic police officer during the Bersih 3.0 near Dataran Merdeka ( right ).

Khalid has maintained that the attacker shown in the photo is a completely different person the real khalid ismath in bersih 3.0 rally and that he donned a different coloured top that day ( second photo, right ).

According to Khalid’s lawyer Latheefa Koya, much to her objection, Dang Wangi police had sought an additional four-day remand from the magistrate’s court yesterday morning.

“I told the police that he (Khalid) has been exercising his right to silence. Getting another four days remand is not going to force him to speak or admit anything,” Latheefa said when contacted through phone.

She said the police had searched Khalid’s home on Saturday for the striped shirt worn by the man as shown in the photo but could not find any.

The police have admitted to the magistrate that they have no other evidence and as such the magistrate rejected their application to extend his remand, she added.

Khalid faces re-arrest

NONE Latheefa ( right ) said the police also mentioned about the Facebook postings in their application, but did not give details.

While Khalid is officially a free man, he now faces possibility of another round of investigations over his Facebook postings.

“The police in Dang Wangi held him until 3pm yesterday because they claimed that a Shah Alam policeman was coming over to record his statement about the Facebook postings.

“They might try to re-arrest him,” said Latheefa.

Khalid had in his Facebook postings last week said: “I would agree if all the policemen be killed because of the way they have treated the rakyat (during Bersih 3.0).

“So every time we hold demonstration, there is no more need to negotiate with the police again. We will fight on.”

Khalid’s father Ismath Mohd Habib, when contacted, chided the police for purposely delaying his son’s release despite the detention period having expired.

He claimed Khalid was mentally tortured while in police custody.

“I will consult my lawyer to decide on further action against the police,” he said.