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Police probe Novel over alleged defamation of superior
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Anticorruption activists carry a banner that reads "One eye lost, millions of others scrutinizing" during a rally at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in South Jakarta on Aug. 9. They demand that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo establish an independent fact-finding team to help investigate the acid attack against senior KPK investigator Novel Baswedan, whose eyes were severely injured in an acid attack in April. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
T
he Jakarta Police are investigating senior Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan over alleged defamation of the antigraft body's director of investigation, Brig. Gen. Aris Budiman.
Aris, a policeman seconded to the KPK, reported Novel to the Jakarta Police on Aug. 21 for allegedly insulting him in an email.
"We questioned [Aris] yesterday," Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said Thursday.
Novel is still receiving medical treatment in Singapore after an acid attack severely injured his eyes in April.
Argo also said the police had sent the notification letter to begin an investigation (SPDP) to prosecutors and planned to summon other witnesses.
"We are just being professional," Argo said as quoted by tempo.co, adding that investigators would soon hold a case screening.
Read also: Defiant cop comes under fire
Aris, who was formerly the special crimes director at the Jakarta Police, made headlines for defying KPK leaders and unilaterally deciding to attend the controversial House of Representatives' inquiry into the KPK on Wednesday.
"On Feb. 14, there was an email that attacked me personally. I was angered, offended and humiliated," Aris told the inquiry hearing, as quoted by kompas.com.
Aris said Novel had said of him that he had “no integrity."
During the hearing, Aris also revealed his rivalry with Novel. For example, Novel strongly rejected Aris' proposal to recruit middle-rank police officers over fears it could lead to the police’s dominance within the KPK.
Activists have expressed concern that investigators from the police force jeopardize the KPK's independence, as they also report to the National Police. (ecn/bbs)
