Kin of murdered contractor may shed light on case

NST, Feb 27 2009

KLANG: A distant relative of murdered contractor S. Sivananthan has been detained by police.

There is a possibility that the case could take an interesting twist as he is said to have made some staggering claims to police.

The 29-year-old man surrendered himself at the district police headquarters here on Wednesday night after he learnt police were looking for him. He was accompanied by his lawyer, Gerard Lazarus.

The man, a director in an air-conditioner supply company, had several business dealings with Sivananthan. He has been remanded for three days.

It is learnt Sivananthan lodged a police report against the man in December after an argument over the former's younger brother.
One day in last November, Sivananthan's younger brother parked his car in front of Sivananthan's house in Bandar Bukit Tinggi 2 and went to a pub with the distant relative.

However, the car alarm went off and Sivananthan phoned the man and told him to bring his brother back.

An argument is believed to have ensued and they later broke off all business dealings.

Sivananthan was murdered by three men at his home last Sunday. The men entered the house and slashed him to death after his wife R. Kavita opened the gates to go out.

Lazarus said his client was in Penang when the murder happened.

"He told his friend to help the family but police picked up the friend and remanded him. He now wants to clear his name."