FORMER Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) chief N. Sundra Rajoo has filed a suit against former attorney-general Tommy Thomas, anti-graft officials and the government for false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

His lawyer T.J. Lee was reported as saying that the suit was filed at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

Early last month, it was reported that Sundra had issued a letter of demand to the defendants, seeking RM10 million and a written apology over his false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

The letter stated that if these demands were not met or if a reasonable counter offer was not made, he would begin civil action.

At the core of Sundra’s grievance against Thomas, former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Shukri Abdull and others named in his letter of demand was that, as director of the AIAC, he enjoyed full immunity from prosecution.

He said, as he was being detained by MACC officers on November 11, 2018, he had informed the officers that he had immunity from arrest and detention as a senior officer of the AIAC.

However, he was held overnight by the MACC, which then brought him before a magistrate to seek a seven-day remand order, unsuccessfully.

In the letter of demand, Sundra also said he was forced to resign after intimidation from Thomas, who was attorney-general at the time.

In December 2019, the high court ruled that Sundra did have immunity from criminal proceedings. The decision was affirmed by the Federal Court.

Aside from Thomas and Shukri, the list of defendants includes Thomas’s former special officer Khong Hui Li; former MACC officers Mohd Adrian Zaiman Zainiar, Md Yusrin Md Yusof, Mohd Fadhly Mohd Zamry, T Nesavan, G Sharan; serving MACC officer Hasmizzy Md Hasim; deputy public prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar; former DPP Mohd Zaki Mohd Salleh; former MACC chief commissioner Mohamad Shukri Abdull; the MACC; and the government.

Lee said the high court fixed November 12 for the case management. – October 15, 2021.