Two men, both aged 33, were held in custody on Monday night in connection with the murder of French TCC leader Nadarajah Mathinthiran.

The two suspects, both described as of ‘Sri Lankan’ nationality, were arrested on Sunday morning in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges and La Chapelle.

A source close to the case is reported to have said that searches of the suspects’ homes did not provide evidence for their involvement in the killing.

Both suspects deny their involvement in the murder of Mathinthiran alias Parithi who was shot in the back with three 9mm bullets as he left TCC’s Paris office.

According to French newspaper le Parisien, one of the two suspects has made some confessions to the homicide investigators in charge of the issue, with a source saying:

“This man claimed to have been contacted by an associate of the Sri Lankan Embassy in France who offered him a reward of 50,000 Euros (49000 GBP) and a Sri Lankan passport in exchange for the execution. All these factors are being verified.”

Mathinthiran’s daughter Saarrah also implied the Sri Lankan government’s responsibility in the murder, saying:

“There are chances that it was the Sri Lankan government... [because] the two hooded men knew full well how to shoot.”

Saarrah also said that her father had not recently mentioned any threats, adding “he was very secretive about his community life.”

An altar draped in red and orange has been put up, with Mathinthiran’s picture and candles, in a small square in the twentieth arrondissement near the site of the murder.