'Carpetman' linked to Altantuya trial tells all to Harakahdaily

“I do know Datuk Seri [Najib] and Puan Seri [Rosmah]. I am a carpet supplier and involved in business. Where there is business opportunity, we ask for their support,” he told Harakahdaily during an interview at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

(Harakah) - A controversial figure in the saga of P Balasubramaniam, the private investigator who issued a damning statutory declaration implicating prime minister Najib Razak of an affair with murdered Mongolian citizen Altantuya Shaariibuu only to retract it the next day, has decided to come clean on his much talked relationship with Najib's family.

Deepak Jaikishan (pic) contacted Harakahdaily to tell his story, by first confirming speculation of his ties with Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor.

“I do know Datuk Seri [Najib] and Puan Seri [Rosmah]. I am a carpet supplier and involved in business. Where there is business opportunity, we ask for their support,” he told Harakahdaily during an interview at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Deepak claimed he knew Rosmah when she visited his shop in Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman back in 2004 or 2005, when Najib was still the Defence minister.

Asked why his person was the subject of intense discussion, Deepak admitted that it had to do with Bala’s case.

“Yes, I sense it too [being subject of talk]. May be my mistake is helping in the case of Bala, getting involved in Bala’s case to help the family of the prime minister. That was when I became famous.I don't like it, I'd like to be low profile,” said Deepak, who added that being low profile made it easier to business in Malaysia.

Deepak described his involvement in Bala’s case akin to rescuing a friend drowning in a swimming pool.

“So I jumped into the pool to help a friend. I felt at that time, I was the only one (they) sought after for help. It's not that I helped directly. The lawyer was theirs, I just helped in coordinating,” he said, who quickly replied "Najib's family" when asked whom he meant by 'theirs'.

Deepak said as he had close ties with Najib and Rosmah, he did not feel  that getting involved in the Altantuya case was burdensome. 

'My mistake'

Deepak said he did not know Bala personally and was introduced to him by a police friend.

“That was my mistake. If it happens again, I would not swim, when I see you drowning, I will let you drown. I cannot help when people don't appreciate what we did," Deepak lamented.

Bala, who was the private detective hired by Abdul Razak Baginda, the former aide of Najib who was acquitted by the court of murdering Altantuya, issued a statutory declaration on July 3, 2008, before retracting it the next day.

Not long after, he fled the country, saying he feared for his life and his family's safety.

In 2009, Bala claimed he had been paid RM5 million by Deepak to retract his first statutory declaration.

Deepak said Bala was not angry at him, but at those who failed to keep their promise to Bala.

Asked on his present relationship with Najib, Deepak said he was being faulted for not being able to fulfill all of Bala’s demands.

“I think after what took place, they had wanted to silence me. The way they treated me was like a friend who helped another friend. The reward they gave was sending over 50 officers to visit when Bala’s case was exposed.... At that time, Najib was the sitting prime minister. 50 enforcers came in five or six lorries,” he said.

Recalling the treatment accorded to him, Deepak said he then sent a message that he should ignored his “drowning” friend.

“I am just interested to clean my name. I am not involved in business with them. For over two years, no business with them, but the story still come out,” added Deepak.

For Deepak, the end would only come once Altantuya received a just trial.

“I don’t want to get involved. It’s clear that my involvement that night was just to help a friend and the statutory declaration was made by their lawyer," said Deepak regretfully.