Police handed over to prosecutors Friday the president and two former executives of a chicken farm company in Kyoto Prefecture for failing to report an outbreak of bird flu in February.

Hideaki Asada, 41, president of Asada Nosan Co., had been instructed by his father, the chairman, not to release information about the possible infection at the poultry farm in Tanba, Kyoto Prefecture, police said.

Asada's father, Hajimu Asada, 67, and mother committed suicide on March 8. Police also sent papers on the father to prosecutors Friday over the bird-flu coverup. The company is based in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture.

Police on Friday also searched the Funai chicken farm in Tanba where the outbreak occurred, including its office and coops.