Lani hiding something about Tommy: Police

JAKARTA (JP): City police detectives strongly suspect that model Lani Banjaranti, 27, gave false information to detectives in connection with the manhunt for fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra.

"Some of the answers she gave police... they don't seem to be true. She is also hiding something from us about Tommy. We can feel it," city police chief of detectives Sr. Comr. Harry Montolalu said on Thursday.

"She will soon be called again for questioning. We will try to get the truth out of her."

Police detectives earlier questioned the model in connection with the whereabouts of Tommy, who has been evading custody since November.

"She totally denied having any contact with Tommy since he fled last November. She said that both of them had broken contact with each other in 1997," city police detective chief for general crimes Comr. Tito Karnavian earlier told The Jakarta Post.

"She also said that she knew bomb suspect Elize Maria, but not too well."

Arrested for the possession of three bombs at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah recreation park in East Jakarta on Jan. 19, Elize earlier made headlines when she told police that it was Tommy who gave her the bombs.

It is believed that Lani and Tommy dated in the early 1990s. Harry earlier refused to elaborate on the relationship.

Tommy, the youngest son of former president Soeharto, has been on the run since November after he was sentenced to 18 months in jail for corruption.

Despite forming at least two special teams to track down Tommy, police have so far failed to locate him. (ylt)