By FMT Team
KUALA LUMPUR: Private investigator P Balasubramaniam’s lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillion’s house here was broken into, ransacked and a laptop was removed.
Manjeet, who is currently in London with Bala, believes the robbery was not a random incident and expressed concern “at attempts to interfere” with the contents on his laptop.
“I have serious concerns that attempts might be made by interested parties to interfere with the contents of my laptop and fabricate material.
‘It is telling that many other valuable items in the same room, including my wife’s jewellery, were left untouched.
“It is also very revealing that this is the second incident targeted at my house close at a time when I am attending to PI Bala’s matters.
“I had Molotov cocktails thrown at my house after his Singapore interview and now after his London and Paris interviews, I have had my house broken into and my laptop removed,” he said, referring to the recent interview Balasubramaniam had with French investigators over Malaysia’s acquisition of the two Scorpene submarines.
The French prosecutors have identified Balasubramaniam as a key witness in their investigations into suspected corruption in the Malaysian purchase of submarines.
Malaysia completed its purchase of the submarines last year with DCNS, a French defence conglomerate.
However, the deal was initiated and struck in 2002, when Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was defence minister. Najib led the negotiations with the French government.
'I will lodge a police report'
The French probe is focused on a US$151.1 million commission paid to a company called Perimekar, which was allegedly established in 2001 for the purpose of receiving the kickback.
Perimekar is a subsidiary of KS Ombak Laut Sdn Bhd, which is controlled by Abdul Razak Baginda, a close Najib associate and lover of the late Mongolian beauty Altantuya Shaariibuu, who was a translator in the deal.
Abdul Razak was charged with abetting in her murder but was eventually acquitted.
Balasubramaniam, whom Abdul Razak hired to keep Altantuya from harassing him for money, has alleged that Najib had a relationship with the murdered Mongolian.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which was scheduled to meet with Balasubramaniam in London on July 5, and record his statement, called it off at the last minute, saying the Attorney-General had advised against it.
Manjeet had reportedly told journalists in London at the time that if MACC had interviewed his client, “Bala would have highlighted a whole series of events surrounding this Altantuya matter”.
In a statement issued yesterday, Manjeet said he would be flying back immediately from London to attend to the incident.
“I will release a further statement after I reach home and have had an opportunity to view the crime scene personally. I will lodge a police report after that,” he said.
