Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar today said the arrest of a deputy public prosecutor and a former advisor from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as well as an officer of the Attorney-General's Chambers was in relation to the leaking of information.

"The investigation also focused on the leaking of the government's official information which have been misused by certain quarters," he said.

Khalid named the three arrested as former MACC advisor Rashpal Singh Jeswant Singh , MACC deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Sazilee Abdul Khairi and the special task force's secretariat head of administration and finance Jessica Gurmeet Kaur Nashattar Singh .

It is understood that Rashpal Singh was released later, according to lawyer Ragunath Kesavan.

"He was released at about 9pm," said the lawyer who was former Malaysian Bar president.

Khalid said Bank Negara officials as well as officers from other commercial banks were also being questioned.

"A few officials from Bank Negara as well as commercial banks were also called to assist police investigation.

"Police will conduct the investigation in a transparent and fair manner, based on provisions of the law," he said in a statement.

Khalid had earlier told Malaysiakini the trio were being investigated under Section 124 of the Penal Code for activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

"The arrests were in relation to a police report made against Sarawak Report editor-in-chief Clare Rewcastle-Brown," he said.

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Their arrests came amid the special task force's investigation into 1MDB, which is also looking at claims that RM2.6 billion was deposited into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's personal bank accounts.

Najib ( photo ) had denied taking government funds for personal gain.

Attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail who had coordinated the task force on legal matters was also sacked on Tuesday.

Khalid said the trio were also being questioned in relation to the publication of "slanderous" article on whistleblower site Sarawak Report .

The arrests came two days after a draft charge sheet purportedly intended for Najib was published by the website.

The newly-minted attorney-general Mohamed Ali Apandi had denied the document originated from his office.

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