'Murdered' tycoon's wife wants probe speeded up

By Stephanie Sta Maria

UPDATED KUALA LUMPUR: The second wife of “murdered” Indian tycoon A Muthuraja has returned to Malaysia to pressure both the police and government to hasten investigations into her husband's case.

S Usharani, 24, submitted a memorandum to the Indian High Commission today which included her initial report to the commission in March this year. She also pressed the high commission to push the police and government into taking swifter action.

The memorandum was received by the Second Secretary Consular, Subhash Ramakrishna Pillai.

Usharani will also be handing over new evidence to the Kuala Langat police either later today or tomorrow. The evidence comprises photographs and documents that she had shown to the team of Bukit Aman officers who interrogated her in Chennai last week.

The photographs include that of Muthuraja and former lawyer N Pathmanabhan, who was recently charged with the murder of cosmetics tycoon Sosilawati Lawiya and three others.

The documents relate to a land deal in Kuala Langat in which Muthuraja was involved with Pathmanabhan before his disappearance in January this year.

According to Kapar MP S Manikavasagam, who accompanied Usharani to the high commission, the police had instructed her to submit this evidence in Malaysia.

“Why couldn't they have taken it with them when they left Chennai?” he asked. “Now she has to come all the way to Malaysia for this.”

According to him, the document held proof that one of the lawyer brothers suspected in Sosilawati's murder, was indirectly involved in the land deal. However, he declined to elaborate, saying that he didn't know the details.

Police too slow

Manikavasagam also called on the police to issue an official statement on Muthuraja's status.

"They say he's dead but they have shown no evidence nor have they officially informed Usharani of this," he said. “The Inspector-General of Police (Ismail Omar) should at least release a statement on whether Muthuraja is dead or alive. Usharani can take it from there.”

Manikavasagam said last month that he would leave the case to Usharani's lawyers after Selangor chief police officer Khalid Abu Bakar warned him not to interfere in police investigations.

When reminded of this, he retorted, “The police are moving too slowly! Pathmanabhan has only been charged with Sosilawati's murder but there are other cases involving him. The police should be playing a role here, not the MPs. I am only here to help her.”

Manikavasagam also questioned why the link between Sementa assemblyman Abdul Rahman Palil and at least one of the suspects in Sosilawati's murder was being overlooked.

“Abdul Rahman was a director in the same company as one of the suspects,” he said. “And one Mohd Firdaus Palil is also listed as a director. Why are they not being investigated?”

This is Usharani's third trip to Malaysia following her husband's disappearance. She will be here until the end of the week.

'Lawyer brothers went on killing spree in India'

KUALA LUMPUR: In a shocking revelation, an Indian magazine claimed that the lawyer brothers arrested in connection with the brutal murder of millionaire Sosilawati Lawiya and three others here could also be responsible for several slayings in India.

According to the prominent weekly, Junior Vikatan, the brothers had allegedly gone on a killing spree since 1992.

Their alleged victims were three lawyers identified as Annamalai, Padmanathan and Dhnabatil Singh. The brothers were also blamed for the murder of reporter Thinakaran Raman.

Junior Vikatan also claimed that the lawyers' father was a “thug” who had moved to Malaysia some 60 years ago.

The brothers, the magazine said, owned a house in the Namakkal district in Tamil Nadu but preferred to stay with slained Indian businessman A Muthuraja whenever they visited India.

The brothers made headlines in the Indian media after reports claimed that they could have been responsible for the murder of Muthuraja, a prominent cinema financier, whose remains have yet to be discovered.

Sosilawati and the other three were allegedly killed at a farm belonging to the brothers in Banting, their bodies burnt and their remains strewn into a nearby river.

The police have yet to charge the brothers and six of their alleged men as rumours swirl about the lack of evidence, especially in establishing the DNA of the victims.

It is also said that the brothers could be linked to more than a dozen murders.

'Muthuraja wanted for murder'

Meanwhile, another Indian magazine alleged that Muthuraja himself was wanted for murder by the Indian police.

The Reporter magazine claimed that the well-heeled cinema financier was high on the wanted list for his involvement in robberies and smuggling activities.

Muthuraja, who hailed from the small village of Vilaagam in Tamil Nadu, was also said to be close to a man identified as Vengedesan, who was shot dead by the Indian police.

The businessman's father was a former police inspector and had stood in the 2006 Tamil Nadu state assembly election but was defeated.

Muthuraja, who was said to be involved in a prominent love scandal, surrended to the police after his father was arrested. However, he was later released on bail. The magazine did not say why Muthuraja's father was arrested.

He came to Malaysia last January, and went missing soon after.