Sujatha inquest: Manikavasagam’s lawyers face uphill battle

Malaysiakini

S Manikavasagam’s lawyers will now have an uphill battle in lending credence to their clients’ allegations that there was foul play behind K Sujatha’s death as their request to participate in the cross-examination of witnesses in today’s inquest had been rejected by the court.

N Surendran, counsel for Manikavasagam , said their participation in the cross-examination of the witnesses is a key factor to the inquest in order to determine as to whether or not there was foul play behind Sujatha’s death.

Surendran explained that because Manikavasagam has been the person who make the allegations that there was foul-play behind the matter, it was important that the lawyers be given the opportunity to lend credence to the allegations made.

This can only be made possible if the lawyers are granted permission to cross-examine witnesses, which among others, include key witnesses implicated in the allegations like Vel Paari.
“It was due to Manikavasagam’s persistent pressuring through lodging several police reports that the inquest was made possible.

“He (Manikavasagam) can also face charges by the police because of the allegations that he had made and therefor he has significant interest in this inquest. It would only be right that the court grant us the right to participate,” Surendran added.

Coroner Mohd Fauzi Che Abu, however, argued that by lodging several police reports on the matter does not qualify Manikavasagam’s lawyers to participate in the proceedings.

Baffled by the objections
He however granted them the right to conduct a watching brief and to ask questions as long as it is limited to Manikavasagam alone.

Meanwhile, Manikavasagam’s lawyers said they were surprised by the fact that the objections to their request were made not only by the prosecutor, but also the counsel representing the deceased’s family.

Second counsel to Manikavasagam, Teluk Intan parliamentarian M Manogaran said he was baffled by the objections made by Sujatha’s family lawyer and suggested that “something was wrong”.

“Something is not right here. Don’t the family of the deceased want to know what really happened to their daughter? Is there complicity here?” he told reporters outside the court.

Today is the second day of the inquest where key witness Vel Paari will be called in to testify again. It is currently ongoing.

Also expected to take the stand today is Manikavasagam who claimed that Vel Paari is connected to Sujatha’s death.