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Saturday, 14 February 2009

Actress Death Inquest from March 16-18

The Magistrates Court has fixed March 16 to 18 for an inquest into the mysterious death of actress K. Sujatha two years ago.

Magistrate Mohd Faizi Che Abu, sitting as the coroner, set the three days for the hearing on Friday.

Sujatha, 29, had also worked as a secretary to S. Vell Paari, the Maika Holdings chief executive officer and son of MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

The actress of several Tamil dramas, movies and commercials, died at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang three days after she was admitted on June 25, 2007.

She was believed to have swallowed weedkiller at her apartment in Sentul here.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Geethan Ram Vincent, who is assisting the coroner in the inquest proceedings, said seven to eight witnesses would be called to testify in the proceedings.

Among them is Dr S.P. Sakthiveloo, one of the general practitioners who had treated her at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang.

Sujatha’s family was represented by lawyer Datuk K. Kumaraendran and lawyer Datuk S. Satharuban held a watching brief for Dr Sakthiveloo.

Also present during the proceedings was PKR supreme council member S. Manikavasagam, who said he was shocked by the delay of the inquest.

“I am shocked that after two years an inquest is called. It should have been called within a few days of her death.

“It is a clear cut case and the investigation officer had said the case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code,” he said, adding that he is expecting to be subpoenaed as a witness.

Her death had resulted in Manikavasagam, who is also Kapar Member of Parliament, lodging a police report on Aug 8, 2007 on behalf of Sujatha’s family at the Brickfields police station and appealing to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan to form a taskforce to investigate the case.

It also saw former Sentul police chief ACP K. Kumaran filing a lawsuit against Manikavasagam and three others in relation to a news report on her death which allegedly defamed him.

The Star

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