PERTUBUHAN Minda dan Sosial Prihatin Malaysia president Ramesh Rao has denied putting pressure on the man who recently signed a statutory declaration (SD) alleging sodomy by a senior opposition lawmaker.

Ramesh said he did not coerce the man into making the SD and that rather, the man had gone to him to complain about the matter.

Ramesh also denied sharing the document on social media with the intention of ruining the reputation of the MP.

“He (the complainant) came to me to complain about this. The incident happened seven years ago. He drafted an SD and we brought him to a top cop and we corrected the SD,” Ramesh told The Malaysian Insight. 

He was asked to comment on a report that the author of the SD had lodged a police report against Ramesh claiming he was “manipulated” into producing the document. The man also named Malaysia Today blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin in his police report, for publishing his allegations of sodomy.

Malaysiakini today reported the man’s claims that Ramesh had “influenced” him into making the declaration and had promised him a reward . 

Ramesh maintained that the man had approached him for help.

“He was the one who approached me. He wanted to do a medical report. I also found out he had approached other people and demanded money (to keep the matter quiet),” he said. 

Ramesh said he was aware of the man’s report and that he would be questioned by police tomorrow over the report.

CID investigation and legal deputy director Mior Faridalathrash Wahid told Bernama Ramesh would be called in for questioning.

“I confirm that he (Ramesh) will be summoned… he is one of the witnesses who will be called up,” Mior said, without saying when that will take place.

He said the case was classified under Section 377B of the Penal Code for committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature.

Police two days ago questioned the man about his claims in the SD and also recorded the statement of the Commissioner of Oaths before whom the SD was signed.

In the SD dated June 29, 2020, the man claimed he was sodomised by the politician four times in 2013 and was paid RM300 for it each time. 

The man also said the politician had asked to be introduced to his friends for the same purpose, which the man did, and that the second person was also sodomised by the politician. – August 20, 2020.