Former MIED CEO walks free

P Chithirakala was cleared of all three cheating charges as she had returned the RM4 million she had allegedly siphoned off from MIED.

FULL REPORT

KUALA LUMPUR: Former CEO of MIC education arm, Maju Institute of Educational development (MIED), P Chithirakala Vasu, was cleared of all three counts of cheating MIED of RM4 million by the Sessions Court here today.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Kevin Morais told judge Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh that Chithirakala’s counsel had written three representation letters to the Attorney-General Chamber’s (A-G), among others, stating that Chithirakala had returned the alleged siphoned money.

“The A-G’s Chambers has considered these letters and agreed to withdraw all the three charges against the accused,” Morais said.

“Therefore, the prosecutor offers no evidence against the accused on all three counts.”

Chithirakala’s counsel Salehuddin Saidin verified that the amount had been returned.

Che Mohamad later allowed the application by the prosecutors, saying that Chithirakala was “discharged and acquitted”.

A teary-eyed Chithirakala said that she was “thankful to god” when approached by reporters later.

Asked if she had siphoned off the money as she was returning it now, she merely ignored the question.

Charged dropped on Sept 6

On May 11, last year, Chithirakala, 40, claimed trial to cheating former MIC treasurer-general M Mahalingam, 75, a director and signatory of MIED Sdn Bhd, by inducing him to sign three cheques for RM1 million, RM1 million and RM2 million, respectively, in 2007.

She was released on a RM 30,000 bail.

She is alleged to have deceived him into believing that the payments, which were made to Silver Line Services Sdn Bhd, were loan repayments to one Abdul Rashid Manaf, 65.

If convicted, she would have faced a maximum of 10 years in jail, whipping and fined on each charge.

Met later, Morais said that the third representation letter was sent on Aug 4, stating that the money was returned on July 29 in one lump sum.

He added that the A-G Chambers decided to drop the charges on Sept 6.

The trial started on April 6 which saw former MIC president, S Samy Vellu and his son, Vell Paari, take the witness stand to testify against Chithirakala.

Chithirakala, a former blue-eyed girl of Samy Vellu, had a fallout with the veteran leader following alleged misappropriation of the funds from MIED.

MIED was set up in 1984 as a private, non-profitable organisation which administers an education loan programme to help needy Indian students.