KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 — The mastermind behind the production and circulation of the sex video implicating a federal minister, which went viral last month, has been identified, Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador announced last night.

Without giving any details on the so-called mastermind, Abdul Hamid said the police had also made several arrests to facilitate further investigations into the case.

He also did not rule out the possibility that there were politicians and a non-governmental organisation involved in the case.

"The focus of the investigation into the case is on those involved in the production of the video and those responsible for circulating the video.

"In this case, we have found evidence of a conspiracy and a plot by certain quarters in the production and circulation of the sex video implicating a minister (aimed) to topple someone,” he told reporters after attending "Malam Semarak Kasih” programme at the Melati Police Quarters in Setiawangsa here last night.

Abdul Hamid said once the investigations were completed, those involved would be arrested.

So far, he said the police had recorded the statements from several witnesses and detained those who were suspected to have circulated the video.

"Action will also be taken against those involved in viralising the same-sex video. We are also in the midst of tracking down those who misused their social media to circulate the video, as well as through their mobile phones,” he said.

Last month, media reported that several video clips showing two men engaging in homosexual acts had gone viral on social media, and on June 12, former Santubong PKR Youth chief Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz confessed being one of the two men in the video.

Meanwhile, Abdul Hamid said the case’s investigation papers also need to be updated and improved, but with the Bukit Aman Classified Crime Investigation Unit having to make several trips to Sandakan, Sabah, to gather more evidence from those involved, it would take quite some time.

He said certain actions also need to be taken and scrutinised before the investigation papers could be submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

"All those actions are taken upon instructions from the Attorney-General’s Chambers because we have submitted the papers twice and discussed it with them with the last meeting held last Thursday,” he said.

On the authenticity of the video, Abdul Hamid said it had been sent to the lab for scientific verification and it would take some time before the result is known. — Bernama