DMK former MP Masthan believed dead was murdered, 5 held

Former DMK MP S Masthan, who was earlier believed to have died of a cardiac arrest, was murdered allegedly because of a financial dispute and five people including his driver have been arrested, police said on Friday (December 30).

The Guduvanchery police, who took up the case after Masthan’s son filed a complaint claiming that he was suspicious of the way his father died on December 22, formed special teams and zeroed in on the culprits.

“Enquiries revealed that Masthan’s death was not natural, but was faked. He was assaulted and smothered to death in the car,” claimed a senior police official.

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After inviting several people including prominent DMK leaders for his son’s wedding, Masthan, who was vice-chairman of Tamil Nadu Minorities Commission, was returning home when he was said to have suffered cardiac arrest. He was rushed to a private hospital in Guduvanchery where the doctors declared him as brought dead, said police.

Suspecting foul play, his son lodged a complaint with the Guduvanchery police.

Police also took into account the autopsy report, which indicated injuries on Masthan’s body. Detailed enquiry by the police revealed that some of his relatives, who had financial dispute with him had allegedly smothered him in the car and later claimed that Masthan suffered chest pain, the police official said.

The Guduvanchery police have arrested Nazeer, Imran Basha, Thoufiq Ahmed, driver Lokesh and Thamim alias Sultan in connection with the murder of Masthan.