THE Police Complaints Authority (PCA) says its investigation into the arrests of the suspects in the Andrea Bharatt murder, and the subsequent deaths of two while in police custody, revealed that the suspects were tortured.

On its Facebook page on Friday, the PCA published a summary of its criminal referrals to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

“The evidence gathered by the PCA revealed that all of the suspects detained were the subject of torture and two suspects were subjects to acts of violence which culminated in their deaths.”

The PCA said its findings were assimilated into a report on the conduct of the police service, the Special Operations Response Team (SORT), and the National Security Special Operations Group and forwarded to the DPP. The details of the report were also sent to the acting Commissioner of Police, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Minister of National Security.

Bharatt, 22, was reported missing after she got into a car, which she believed to be a taxi, at King Street, Arima on January 29. The court clerk’s body was found almost a week later down a precipice in The Heights of Aripo.

Her murder triggered several marches and vigils as the nation cried out in solidarity against violent crimes against women.

Four men, including Joel Balcon and Andrew Morris, and a woman were detained for questioning.

Morris, a 36-year-old hypertensive diabetic, died on February 4.

[caption id="attachment_919199" align="alignnone" width="300"] DEAD SUSPECT: Joel Balcon. -[/caption]

Balcon, who had 70 charges against him between 2004 and 2017, died on February 10 after being hospitalised.

Police said when they went to Morris’ Tumpuna Road home, he had to be subdued because he was acting violently. They said he fell during their attempt to subdue him, and officers were also injured.

Police said he was offered medical attention, but refused. He was eventually taken to the Arima hospital. Police said Morris fell while seated on a chair and had to be assisted. He was taken to another room to give a urine sample and allegedly fell again. He subsequently died.

Balcon, who was detained in a separate exercise, also allegedly suffered injuries during his arrest. He fell into a coma shortly after he was held by police and later died at the Eric Williams Medical Science Complex.

An autopsy report said Morris and Balcon suffered blunt force trauma to the head and body.

Four SORT officers were detained and 20 officers were investigated by the Professional Standards Bureau. Fourteen of the 20 were police officers, and others are members of the Defence Force.

Negus George, 24, of Gooding Trace, Malabar, Arima was charged with murdering Bharatt while his 37-year-old common-law wife Giselle Hobson was charged with receiving stolen items belonging to Bharatt.

Newsday reached out to Balcon’s relatives who said they were still dealing with his death.

“My family is nowhere near ready to speak out p