CBI takes over probe from Chennai police

CHENNAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the investigation into the murder of slain BSP leader K Armstrong.The special task branch (STB) of CBI, Chennai, has reregistered the original first information report (FIR) recorded by the Sembium police. Police had registered the case based on a complaint filed by Armstrong’s brother Veeramani, who was a witness to the murder in front an under-construction house of the BSP leader on July 5, 2024.Though the Madras high court transferred the investigation to the CBI in September last year quashing the chargesheet filed by the city police, the then Chennai police commissioner approached the Supreme Court challenging the HC order. However, the petition was later dismissed as withdrawn, and the Supreme court cleared the decks for CBI to take over the probe and start investigation afresh.CBI has re-registered the case under five sections of BNS – 191(1), (2), 118(1), 103 and 351 (3).

According to the FIR, a group of about eight men surrounded Armstrong around 7 pm on July 5, 2024 when the latter was watching the foundation work of his new house in Venugopal Street in Perambur. They repeatedly attacked him with knives on his head, face, hand and back. The assailants attacked those who came to rescue Armstrong.The city police had arrested 28 people in connection with the murder. While history-sheeter Nagendran, one of the accused in the case, died in hospital in October 2025, K Tiruvengadam, another accused, died in a police counter on July 14, 2024.