Police Must Be Transparent in Handling Novel Case: Vice President

Jakarta (Antara) - Vice President Jusuf Kalla has urged the police to be transparent in handling the case of Novel Baswedan, an investigator with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). \"The police must be transparent. If he (Novel) has not committed a crime, he should be freed. This is very important,\" Kalla said after meeting with Police Chief Badrodin Haiti at the Police Headquarters here on Friday. The Vice President is of the view that the police\'s decision to arrest and detain Novel is in accordance with investigation procedures. Thus, the process must be done openly and transparently. \"There is openness in the police as well. Some of the four, three, two, and one star generals have also been taken to justice. No one is immune from the law. But all processes must be transparent,\" Kalla noted. He remarked that if within 24 hours investigators find that it is not necessary to detain Novel, then his detention should be suspended. Novel, a leading investigator of the KPK, was arrested on Friday on the charges of maltreatment leading to the death of a criminal suspect in Bengkulu more than 10 year ago. (*)