According to a Berita Harian report, the officer’s lawyer, Gobind Singh Deo, said his client, Baldev Singh, was released on police bail yesterday and that the hearing to strike out the habeas corpus application had been set for May 11.

Baldev, in his affidavit filed together with the habeas corpus application against another officer, Amran Mohd Jusin, and the inspector-general of police (IGP), said his arrest under Sosma was illegal and unconstitutional.

Yesterday, Rahmat Fitri Abdullah, another senior police officer detained under Sosma over his links to Liow, withdrew his legal challenge against the detention because he was freed two days earlier.

In the legal challenge, the assistant superintendent of police’s lawyer Sreetharan Vallithan argued that the detention under Sosma was unlawful as his family members were not notified.

Sreetharan also said a police officer’s power to detain a suspect under Sosma for 28 days had lapsed on July 31, 2017 as a resolution passed by Parliament was not gazetted by the home minister.

Johor police chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay had said that police had arrested 10 police personnel and two MACC officers for alleged ties with “Geng Nicky”.

He said they were being investigated for fraud and money laundering.

On March 30, former IGP Abdul Hamid Bador said 34 uniformed personnel and members of enforcement agencies were suspected of being in cahoots with the gang.

Recent reports said investigations showed that Liow, 33, was last seen at Setiawalk, Puchong, on March 20. He is believed to be hiding in the country and is on the run with several bags of cash.

Police have obtained an Interpol Red Notice to locate and arrest him and his Chinese assistant, Niu Zhi, 31.

On April 9, Liow and his brother were charged in absentia at the Petaling Jaya sessions court for alleged involvement in an organised crime group.