Northeast district police chief Soffian Santong said the key witness, T Previin, 22, had claimed that he was taunted by the men before the trial began earlier this month.
Previin was beaten up together with Nhaveen in 2017 and is one of the eyewitnesses of how a brawl left his best friend succumbing to brain injury later.
Soffian said the three men aged between 23 and 26 were being investigated under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation. They were arrested on Saturday and released on police bail on Monday.
“We would like to offer Previin to be placed under witness protection, if he feels that his life is in danger. However, he must comply with the strict rules of the Witness Protection Act 2009,” he told FMT.
Soffian said the investigation papers would be sent to the prosecutor’s office once they are completed.
In police report dated May 22, Previin had alleged that the three men had threatened him twice, once outside of his home at Bukit Gelugor, and again at a tom yam shop in Bandar Baru Air Itam.
Previin claimed the three men had threatened to kill him once those charged with Nhaveen’s murder are released from jail. The three men claimed to be friends of those charged.
He also alleged these incidents took place in February and March of last year but claimed he did not lodge police reports because an inspector at the Jelutong police station prevented him from doing so.
Four youths have been charged with murdering Nhaveen, near the Karpal Singh Learning Centre, Jalan Kaki Bukit, Gelugor between 11pm and midnight on June 9, 2017. They have since been detained at the Sungai Petani Juvenile Prison.
They were charged on June 19, 2017, with three days of the trial held from May 3. The issue of harassment against Previin was also brought up in the High Court then.
Judicial commissioner Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid sternly ordered families of the accused not to contact any of the witnesses, saying it was illegal to do so.
Nhaveen’s trial will continue for five more days on – June 29 and 30; July 6; and Aug 5 and 6.