Deepak says he's ill, judge wants full medical report

A Kuala Lumpur High Court judge has directed controversial carpet businessperson Deepak Jaikishian to submit a full medical report over his illness after his scheduled anticipated testimony today had to be postponed because of it.

Justice Hue Siew Kheng made the directive after senior lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah informed the court that Deepak was ill and could not be present.

He produced a medical certificate from UKM Hospital in Cheras.

Shafee further said that Deepak came to his office yesterday for a discussion, and was suddenly taken ill and vomited (blood) in his conference room, toilet and reception area.

Following that, the lawyer advised Deepak to seek medical treatment and the medical certificate dated yesterday was issued to Deepak with a copy sent to the court.

However, on closer examination, court officials said the certificate did not bear the name of the doctor or his official rubber stamp denoting his registration number.

Justice Hue then fixed March 27 for Deepak to testify.

Present today were A Santamil Selvi's lawyer Gopal Sri Ram and the other lawyers of the defendants named in the suit.

This is the second time that Deepak's testimony had to be postponed as earlier this month Shafee had also applied for a postponement as he had to appear in the Federal Court.

Santamil, who is the widow of the late private investigator P Balasubramaniam, and her three children had sought to strike out Deepak's second defence which was filed by Shafee.

It was reported that Deepak had dismissed Shafee as his lawyer and sent his first defence statement directly to Santamil's solicitors Americk Sidhu on Oct 25 last year without giving a copy to the court.

However, he rehired Shafee as his lawyer and filed a second defence statement dated Nov 6.

Injury, loss of income

The widow (photo) is also seeking to remove Shafee from representing Deepak as Americk and Sarawak Report editor Claire Rewcastle Brown had separately affirmed an affidavitthat Deepak gave Americk RM250,000 to be paid to Santamil and that the carpet businessperson was forced to appoint Shafee under duress.

As a result of this, Justice Hue had on Feb 6 allowedSantamil's application to cross-examine Deepak.

Deepak had told reporters then that he hoped to tell what transpired and it would “set him free”.

Santamil and her children filed the suit last Aug 1 claiming for injury and loss of income following the family's exile to India from 2008 to 2013.

This is after Balasubramaniam had made a statutory declaration in July 2008, claiming that then deputy prime minister Najib Abdul Razak had known slain Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.

He retracted this statutory declaration the next day and issued a second one contradicting the contents of the first.

Altantuya was murdered in October 2006 and the case has garnered worldwide attention. -Mkini