Deepak withdraws case against Wanita Umno leader

A lawsuit against Awan Megah (M) Sdn Bhd, allegedly a vehicle for Selangor Umno Wanita chief Senator Raja Ropiaah Abdullah, was withdrawn without reasons.

PETALING JAYA: Controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan today withdrew a lawsuit against a Wanita Umno leader’s company over a Defence Ministry land deal which went sour.

The withdrawal was confirmed by Saseedharan Menon, the lawyer for the main defendant, Awan Megah (M) Sdn Bhd which belonged to Selangor Umno Wanita chief Senator Raja Ropiaah Abdullah.

“Yes, they have withdrawn [it] and the court has struck off the case,” he told FMT. He said that reasons behind the sudden withdrawal today, which was fixed for oral submissions, were not given.

“We had no objections to the withdrawal and there were no orders as to costs,” he said “This is no out-court-settlement.”

Saseedharan said the withdrawal would vindicate Raja Roopiah, saying: “It has to vindicate my client as the withdrawal comes from the plaintiff himself”

Meanwhile, lawyer Latheefa Koya said that Deepak had changed his lawyers on short notice today.

“We are no longer his lawyers on record,” she said, referring to lead counsel R Sivarasa and N Surendran.

She said that Deepak’s matter, including the withdrawal, was handled by another firm, adding that no reason was given for the change of lawyers.

Deal to build defence research centre

Previously, Deepak, through the company Astacanggih Sdn Bhd, of which he is a director, had filed the legal suit in the Kuala Lumpur High Court naming the Malaysian government, Syarikat Tanah Harta Sdn Bhd, Awan Megah and Cebur Megah Development Sdn Bhd, in which he is also a director, as defendants for breach of agreement over the 233.33 acres of land.

Awan Megah had filed a counter-claim in response.

High Court judge Zabariah Mohd Yusof had earlier struck out the Malaysian government, Syarikat Tanah Harta and Cebur Megah as defendants in the suit, a decision later upheld by the Court of Appeal.

Deepak claimed that he had agreed to buy three parcels of land totalling 223.33 acres in 2007 for RM13 million and a RM72 million bank guarantee for a land bond from Raja Ropiaah.

Raja Ropiaah was apparently awarded a RM100 million privatisation deal for the development of the defence research centre called Pusat Pengajian Pertahanan Nasional (Puspahanas).

But the Selangor Wanita Umno chief then allegedly sold one parcel for RM2 million in cash and a RM16 million overdraft facility in a “joint venture” with Guppyunip Sdn Bhd, a company specialising in plasticware.

The carpet dealer then put a caveat on the land in Bukit Raja, in Klang, seeking parts of the land back, claiming that Astacanggih had the rights to them.

Since the details of the case became public, Deepak started giving media interviews, especially for the online portals, on his alleged role in the cover up of the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder.

He had named Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s wife Rosmah Mansor as the person who had personally asked him to work on private investigator P Balasubramaniam to reverse a statutory declaration which had originally linked Najib to Altantuya.

Deepak could not be contacted to ascertain the reasons for the withdrawal of the case.