The police are investigating supporters of Indian rights group Hindraf for allegedly misusing several hundred thousand ringgit in donation funds, a report said today.

The investigation follows the arrest of five Hindraf leaders last month under tough internal security laws after they enraged the government by holding an unprecedented mass rally against ethnic discrimination.

Deputy police chief Ismail Omar said police had received a report that the money, about RM700,000, meant for the families of those arrested, had been misused, according to a report in the Star daily.

"The report lodged alleged that several people entrusted with managing the money had allegedly misused the money for personal gain," Ismail said.

"We are investigating the matter and have classified the case as a criminal breach of trust," he told the paper.

Hindraf coordinator RS Thanenthiran said the report had inflated the amount of funds allegedly misused but declined to name the exact amount.

"The police and government are very welcome to investigate Hindraf and what we have done," he told AFP .

"This is yet another attempt by the government to divert people from the real issue of the marginalisation of Indians by trying to discredit us through the use of such investigations."

He said the funds were donated by supporters at the various talks and prayer sessions organised by Hindraf in the last few months.

A break in ranks?

Malaysiakini last week reported that a police report was lodged against Hindraf legal adviser P Uthayakumar by the movement’s secretary T Vasanthakumar over allegations of misuse of funds.

Both Uthayakumar ( photo ) and Vasanthakumar are being detained under the ISA along with three other Hindraf legal advisers at the Kamunting detention centre in Perak.

It is learnt that, in the police report which was lodged at the detention centre on Jan 10, Vasanthakumar has accused Uthayakumar of allegedly misusing money collected from the public for Hindraf activities.

Following this, the five ISA detainees released a joint statement through their lawyers denying a split in the ranks. However they did not mention anything about the police report lodged by Vasanthakumar.

Hindraf’s exiled chairperson P Waythamoorthy released a statament from London last week stating that the movement had stopped collecting funds from the public.

He said that large sums of funds were collected in Hindraf’s name by unauthorised persons and that these funds were not channelled to Hindraf.

“In these circumstances we urge all supporters and well wishers of Hindraf to immediately suspend collection of funds from members of the public either privately or publicly pending further instructions,” he said.