SHAH ALAM: Police are not discounting making more arrests to assist in investigations into the death of 21-year-old Malaysian National Defence University (UPNM) navy cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain.
Selangor police chief Datuk Seri Abdul Samah Mat said 36 people have been detained thus far.
They comprise 32 UPNM students and four Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten) undergraduates, who are all aged between 20 and 21, and have been remanded until June 9.
Zulfarhan, a third year student, died on June 1 at 9pm at the Serdang Hospital, allegedly due to bullying.
According to reports, Zulfarhan was brought to the hospital with severe injuries, including burns on his body, believed to be from having a steam iron pressed onto his chest, hands and feet.
"We are not discounting making more arrests and this would depend on the development of the investigations.
“Investigations are still on-going under Section 302 of the Penal Code (for murder) and at this stage, I cannot reveal more. We have taken statements from witnesses and will be recording more from those who can assist us in the investigations.
“If need be, we will extend the remand order for the 36 when it expires on Friday," said Samah.
He said this when met after a pinning of ranks ceremony for more than 300 personnel and officers, as well as an Excellence Service Award certificate presentation, at the state police contingent headquarters officers’ mess today.
Samah said his men are looking into claims that Zulfarhan was accused of stealing a laptop belonging to one of his friends, said to be a Uniten student.
However, Samah said they have not received a police report from anyone over the loss of a laptop.
He also dismissed several reports linking a bomoh – who had allegedly named Zulfarhan as the person who stole the laptop – to the case.
"Who brought up the subject about this bomoh? I have never said anything about a bomoh. Please refrain from saying that there is a bomoh involved," said Samah.
Meanwhile, Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief Assistant Commissioner Fadzil Ahmat said they have seized several items as part of the probe and are still tracking down the missing laptop.
Fadzil declined to reveal the number of witnesses that have been interviewed so far, but said that the doctors who had treated Zulfarhan were among them.