A COURT decision today could finally expose moves to silence a private investigator who was embroiled in the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu more than a decade ago.

The decision, which was reported by Free Malaysia Today, could also lead to a reopening of the case which until today is mired in controversy.

One of those found guilty of her murder, elite police officer Sirul Azhar Umar, fled to Australia to escape his death sentence. Sirul is currently petitioning the new Pakatan Harapan government for a deal to return for revealing what happened to Altantuya.

FMT reported that today’s decision involves a civil suit brought by the widow of private investigator P. Balasubramaniam against businessman Deepak Jaikishan.

Balasubramaniam’s widow, A. Santamil Selvi, had sued Deepak along with former prime minister Najib Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor and six others for losses as result of their exile to India in 2008.

Santamil Selvi said their exile was triggered after Balasubramaniam made a second statutory declaration on Altantuya’s murder, absolving Najib and the rest.

In response to the suit, Deepak filed a defence statement on October 25 last year which claimed that Najib and Rosmah were behind Balasubramaniam’s exile to India.

However, a second defence statement was filed for Deepak by lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah which said the couple was not involved.   

Today, Deepak’s new lawyers said he will retract the second defence statement and use the first.

This was confirmed by Santamil’s lawyer Americk Sidhu after a meeting with High Court judge Hue Siew Kheng today.

Deepak has also withdrawn his application to strike out the suit, Americk said.

Americk added that on July 25, the Court of Appeal is scheduled to hear an appeal by Najib, Rosmah and six others to strike out Santamil’s suit. This is after the high court denied them this bid.  

Balasubramaniam or known as PI Bala was a key witness in the Altantuya case. He had been hired by Najib’s then aide Abdul Razak Baginda to tail the Mongolian woman before her disappearance.

According to the family’s suit, Balasubramaniam made a first statutory declaration on July 3, 2008, which alleged Najib had links with Altantuya.

Najib had denied knowing or meeting Altantuya.

The next day, at a press conference he revealed a second statutory declaration which nullified the first.

The suit claimed the second statutory declaration was not composed in accordance with Balasubramaniam’s instructions and it was secured through coercion and inducements.

Balasubramaniam’s family then left for India soon after the press conference. They stayed in India for five years.

He died of a heart attack on March 15, 2013, two weeks after the family returned to Malaysia from India. – June 4, 2018.