Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy said Pukalanthee Rajoo and Linggeswaran Pukalanthee were arrested on Sept 21 and released on Sept 25.

He also claimed the two were tortured in custody and accused the police of failing to conduct initial investigations before making the arrests.

According to Pukalanthee and Linggeswaran, who were present at the Suaram press conference here today, they were hired on contract to tar roads in a residential area and had rented a car for this purpose.

They said they were told that a girl had found their movements around the area suspicious and lodged a police report with the help of a neighbour.

They said the police contacted the car rental agency and “lured” them to a specific location where they were “ambushed” by heavily armed officers.

It was not until the second day of their arrest that they were told why they were detained, they said.

Both of them denied ever meeting a girl.

Suaram’s legal adviser Shashi Devan said both father and son had since lost all their job contracts.

“They don’t have a job, no one speaks to them anymore.

“We would like to stress the importance of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission, especially when arrests are made before investigations and when there is abuse in custody.”

Devan also said they are considering a civil suit as their next course of action.