The Sun
Deputy ministers to be summoned for questioning
PETALING JAYA (Jan 22, 2009) : Police will call up two deputy ministers who were present at the Serdang Hospital mortuary during an incident where about 50 family members and friends of 22-year-old lock up detainee A.Kugan who died in police custody allegedly forced their way into the place to view his body late on Monday.
Selangor police chief DCP Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said a police report was lodged with Sepang police by an official at the mortuary who alleged that several dozen people who turned up at the morgue had barged in and wheeled out Kugan’s body of of the cold room.
The hospital official also alleged that the people had handled the body and took photos of it.
Khalid said police have classified and are probing the case as trespass with criminal intent and also for criminal intimidation.
He said it was wrong for anyone except for hospital officials to handle the body as a post mortem had yet to be conducted and there is an ongoing probe into the death of the man.
He said the hospital official had called the police and a police officer at the scene permitted only a family member to identify the body at the time of the incident but this was defied and the crowd rushed in.
Although he did not name the two deputy ministers, it is understood that they are Datuk S.K.Devamany and T.Murugiah, both who are with the Prime Minister’s Department and were present at the hospital during the incident.
Khalid said a post mortem carried out out on the body of lock detainee A.Kugan showed that he had died of excessive fluid in his lungs.
He said the report also stated that the injuries found on the deceased’s body was not the result of his death.
“However, I assure the family of Kugan that we will not spare anyone responsible for the injuries caused on him. We are probing and when we identify those involved and have gathered enough evidence, I will make sure justice is served.”
“I give you my word that there will be no cover up as I do not cordone to such abuse of powers if that was the case.I urge the family members to be calm and not take the law into their own hands.” he said.
At about 2.30pm, Kugan’s funeral took place at his house at Puchong Kinrara. Among the 200 people who attended it was MIC President Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu.
Kugan was arrested on Jan 15 for suspected car theft and remanded till Wednesday. However,on Tuesday during interogation by police, he collapsed and died.
Police had said that they made a recovery of 15 stolen cars at a warehouse in Puchong following his arrest.
His family, Kapar MP S.Manikavasagam and Keadilan’s Selangor Youth leader Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainuddin have each lodged a police report alleging foulplay in Kugan’s death and urged a thorough probe be conducted.