CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Police have intensified efforts to apprehend Sambhav Senthil, the second accused in the murder of K. Armstrong, the state BSP chief who was killed on July 5.
A Red Corner Notice has been issued to bring Senthil back to India, following confirmation that he is currently holed up in Thailand.
Senthil’s associates, Krishnakumar and Appu, are also wanted in connection with the high-profile murder, which was orchestrated by three rival gangs that had longstanding disputes with Armstrong.
Sources within the Tamil Nadu Police reveal that Senthil, a law graduate from a business family, had planned and executed six murders in the state.
Despite his involvement in crimes such as extortion, violent orchestrations, and operating 'katta' panchayats (illegal dispute resolution), he has never been arrested.
Classified as an A+ history sheeter at the Washermenpet police station, Senthil is considered a dangerous and elusive criminal. The police have also submitted a Look Out Circular (LOC) to the Bureau of Immigration to restrict his movements.
The Red Corner Notice is expected to enable international law enforcement agencies to locate and provisionally arrest Senthil.
Chennai Police Commissioner M. Arun constituted a special team which has been working relentlessly to track down Senthil.
Seventeen police teams are currently investigating Armstrong’s murder, which has resulted in the arrest of 27 individuals so far. These include hardened criminals, history sheeters, and members of political parties such as AIADMK, Tamil Maanila Congress, BJP, and Congress.
Despite the passage of time, the police are relying on a 20-year-old photograph of Senthil in their search efforts. A detailed 5, 000-page charge sheet submitted to the magistrate court outlines how three gangs collaborated to execute Armstrong’s assassination. Three gangs, one led by Ponnai Balu, the brother of slain gangster Arcot V. Suresh, directly carried out the murder. They claimed it was in retaliation for the killing of Arcot Suresh, which they alleged was orchestrated by Armstrong. Balu and his group surrendered to the police shortly after the crime. The second gang was led by Nagendran, a notorious gangster imprisoned for 26 years, who harboured a personal grudge against Armstrong and the third gang was led by Sambhav Senthil, who reportedly financed and meticulously planned the crime.
Nagendran’s son, K. Ashwathaman, a former Tamil Nadu Youth Congress office-bearer and lawyer, is also among the accused. Following his involvement in the case, the Congress party stripped him of his responsibilities.
The motive for the murder appears to stem from a combination of personal grudges and a dispute over a real estate deal, which exacerbated tensions between Senthil and Armstrong.
Meanwhile, Visalakshi, the mother of accused K. Ashwathaman, has moved the Madras High Court to quash the Goonda Act detention order against her son. She also filed a Habeas Corpus petition, alleging procedural lapses in the detention order issued on September 19.
Visalakshi claimed that the detention order was issued in a “mechanical manner” without proper application of mind and that neither she nor her son’s wife or brother was duly informed of the order, violating the provisions of the Act. A division bench comprising Justices S.M. Subramaniam and M. Jothiraman issued notice and adjourned the matter for two weeks.
Chennai Police Commissioner M. Arun has expressed confidence in arresting the remaining suspects, including Senthil and his associates. “The special team is pursuing all leads to ensure justice for Armstrong’s murder, ” he stated.
The case continues to garner attention as Tamil Nadu Police work towards bringing all the culprits to justice.