Chennai, May. 22 (PTI): Controversial police officer K Premkumar, who was Superintendent of Police of Kancheepuram district during the arrest of Kanchi Seer Jayendra Saraswathi in the Sankararaman murder case, was today removed from service as a consequence of his conviction by a district court for ill treating an ex-serviceman in 1982.

"Yes, he has been removed from service," a top government official told PTI.

An RDO enquiry had charged the police officer with ill treating the ex-serviceman Nallakaman at Madurai when he was a Sub Inspector in 1982.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had recently upheld six-months imprisonment awarded to him by the lower court on charges of torturing an ex-serviceman during his tenure as SI at Vadipatti village in Madurai.

Premkumar had already been suspended for allegedly bribing and coercing Ravi Subramanian, accused-turned-approver in the murder case, to escape from prison.

An appeal against his continuance in police service is pending in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.

Premkumar had arrested Kanchi Seer Jayendra Saraswathi in connection with the murder of temple official Sankararaman in 2004.