“It is unacceptable for a police officer from the same station where the victim died to investigate the case,” he said.
Surendran told FMT he would be writing to the federal police in Bukit Aman to express the family’s outrage at Bala’s death.
The Padang Serai MP said the family also wanted a second post-mortem conducted on the 44-year-old and all policemen implicated in the case suspended pending investigations.
Surendran, together with Klang MP Charles Santiago, accompanied Bala’s brother Balaraj, 33, to lodge a report on the circumstances leading to Bala’s death at the South Klang police station today.
Bala leaves behind widow Natthanan Yoochomsook, 38, and their only child Yanika, 14.
The deceased, from Meru in Klang, was detained by North Klang police on Monday together with two others.
Lawyer Gerard Lazarus, who appeared for Bala during remand proceedings on Tuesday, said his client was arrested because he was in the company of men targeted by police.
Lazarus said the magistrate ordered the investigating officer to free Bala and send him to hospital.
About 6am yesterday, police contacted Bala’s family, telling them to go to Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah in Klang. However, when they arrived at the hospital, they were told Bala had died.
A post-mortem was conducted but the report will only be out in two months, said lawyer Raul Lee Baskaran, who had accompanied Surendran.
Surendran said the family wanted a second post-mortem conducted because of the injuries found on Bala’s body.
“The lawyer (Lazarus) who represented Bala saw him coughing blood. The family also saw many bruises and cuts on the body,” he said.
Surendran said there was no need to hold an inquest as questions about who, where and the cause of the death could be easily determined.
Meanwhile, lawyer S Ramesh said the family should file contempt proceedings against the policemen who disrespected the court order to release Bala.
“This reflects the complete breakdown of administration of justice when the police refuse to respect a judicial order,” said Ramesh who was involved in the proceedings of A Kugan, a suspect in a luxury car theft who died in a police lock-up in 2009.
Ramesh said Bala’s death revealed the apparent lackadaisical attitude of lower ranking policemen despite several landmark judgments on custodial deaths.
Last month, High Court judge S Nantha Balan, who awarded RM357,000 in damages to the family of a lorry driver who died in police custody, said police had not observed Lock-Up Rules 1953.
Nantha said police had a duty to ensure that a detainee was not harmed by cops or by other detainees, and that they did not harm themselves. He said this included ensuring detainees were healthy and given proper medical care.