BSP leader Armstrong murder: Brother moves Madras High Court seeking CBI probe

The Madras High Court, on Thursday (July 3, 2025) directed the Sembium police in Chennai to file its counter affidavit to a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murder of former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) state president K. Armstrong on July 5, 2024.

Justice P. Velmurugan directed Additional Public Prosecutor R. Muniyapparaj to ensure the counter was filed by July 18 and directed the High Court Registry to list the plea, filed by the late politician’s younger brother K. Immanuvel, for further hearing on July 21.

The petitioner had sought transfer of the case from Greater Chennai City police to CBI on the ground that there were serious contradictions and material shortcomings in the probe conducted by the Sembium police leading to doubts over the impartial nature of the investigation.

In his affidavit, the petitioner complained that the Sembium police had concluded the investigation in October 2024 and filed a 5,000-page charge sheet against 30 named individuals by projecting gang rivalry, and not any political reason, as the sole motive behind the murder.

‘Political angles excluded’

“The deceased was an active Dalit rights advocate. Yet, political angles and threats from vested interests have been consciously excluded. The deliberate anchoring of motive to an alleged gang rivalry is an attempt to insulate political perpetrators,” the petitioner told the court.

He also brought to the notice of the court that eight armed assailants, disguised as food delivery agents, had hacked the politician to death as reflected in the First Information Report but the police had gone about listing as many as 30 accused in the charge sheet without arresting some of them.

Pointing out that the charge sheet itself states that at least two key conspirators were absconding, the petitioner said, the failure to apprehend them “signifies either collusion, dereliction, or political shielding.” The petitioner also accused the police of having deliberately ignored the statements of key witnesses.

He said, the statements given by the Armstrong’s wife Porkodi and the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry chairman P.S. Amalraj had not been taken into consideration. “This selective approach undermines the investigation’s objectivity and reveals an attempt to construct a preferred narrative,” he added.

The petitioner also relied upon a few Supreme Court decisions to contend that a CBI probe could be ordered even after the city police had completed the investigation and filed a final report before the jurisdictional court.