According to police, Franklin Paul (35), pastor of a church in Kongarapalayam, had hatched a conspiracy with four others to do away with Arulalan, as he suspected that the youth had an affair with a girl whom he wanted to marry after getting a divorce from his wife.
The five allegedly gave a poison-laced softdrink to Arulalan following which he died on March 6. They threw the body in a canal, whose recovery two days later, led to the arrests yesterday.
They were produced before a court, which remanded them to 15 days judicial custody.