Contradictory statements have emerged on the remand of a man alleged to be the nephew of a cabinet minister for impersonating an intelligence officer using a Home Ministry (KDN) authority card.

Malaysian Crime Watch Task Force (MyWatch) chairperson R Sanjeevan ( below ) claimed today that the man has been released due to "stalled investigations".

However, the police have claimed otherwise.

Malacca criminal investigation division chief Raja Sharom Raja Abdullah, when contacted, said the person who used the card to avoid inspection during a night club raid is still in custody.

"We have one person in custody relating to the KDN fake authority card case. His remand ends on Saturday.

"He has not been released yet," Raja Sharom added.

Earlier, Sanjeevan in a statement claimed that the suspect, who  failed to give rational answers as to why he was in possession of a KDN intelligence officer authority card, was released on Sept 1.

Citing "police sources", he said that the order to release the man came from Raja Sharom.

"I was informed that the man was released after giving his statement to police," Sanjeevan added.

Special officer

He claimed that the man is also the minister's special officer but a check by Malaysiakini found that the man is not listed in the directory in the ministry's website.

Sanjeevan said the man who was released is one of two sought by police for the crime and both are the minister's nephews. The other person is still at large.

According to Raja Sharom, the man who is in custody, was arrested for impersonating an intelligence officer after a police report was lodged by a police officer at the Bandar Hilir police station.

Bernama reported that the suspect, a 30-year-old hotel manager, was arrested yesterday and would be remanded until Saturday, after he gave his statement at the Alor Gajah police headquarters.

He is remanded under Section 170 of the Penal Code for impersonating a government officer.

Police said today the "special intelligence unit" listed on the fake card is non-existent.

According to the police officer's report, the hotel manager had flashed his KDN authority card to avoid inspection after he was caught in a nightclub raid in Malacca on Aug 30.

Sanjeevan said the hotel manager had received the authority card from a man working as a special officer in a Ministry of Home Affairs department last April.

An officer from the ministry said that a statement would be issued on the matter tomorrow.