Court To Hear Chithirakala's Passport Impoundment Application Tomorrow

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- The Sessions Court has set tomorrow to hear an application to impound the international passport of P. Chithirakala, the former CEO of the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED), after her lawyers discharged themselves from the case today saying she wanted to represent herself.

"We are not acting in this particular matter. She is a qualified lawyer and she is going to represent herself," counsel Saseedharan Menon told the court before walking out of the courtroom with two other lawyers, Prem Shandar and B. Muralidharan.

Judge Azizah Mahamud then set tomorrow to hear the application, brought by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Chithirakala, 39, is facing three counts of cheating involving RM4 million belonging to the MIED.

On May 19, she was stopped by the MACC from boarding a flight to India at the KL International Airport (KLIA). The MACC said then it had received information she was attempting to flee the country.

On May 11, she claimed trial to cheating former MIC treasurer-general Tan Sri M. Mahalingam, 74, a director and signatory of MIED Sdn Bhd, by inducing him to sign three cheques for RM1 million, RM1 million and RM2 million.

Today's proceedings started with Saseedharan hitting out at Deputy Public Prosecutor Kevin Morais for addressing the application to impound the passport to the High Court instead of the Sessions Court.

"Today, we are attired to appear before a High Court judge and we are very embarrassed because of the failure of the MACC in making a proper application," Saseedharan said.

Azizah allowed Morais's verbal application to amend the error.

Chithirakala told the court she was not in a hurry to go on the overseas trip and that she had already informed the MACC so last month.

The court had set June 14 for mention of the main case.