Death In Custody Cops Finally Take Statement From Manisegaran S Widow

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Police have finally recorded the statement of S Rajeswari, the widow of 41-year-old lorry driver M Manisegaran, who died in custody under allegedly suspicious circumstances at the Bandar Sunway police station nine months ago.
Speaking to Malaysiakini today, Rajeswari said she received a phone call around 2pm yesterday from Bukit Aman, seeking to take her statement.
"The officer from the Integrity and Standards Compliance Department arrived at my workplace at around 5pm.
"The process of taking the statement lasted about 15 minutes. After taking the statement, the officer told me that the investigation report on my husband's death had already been sent to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC)," she added.
‘Unacceptable delays’
Yesterday, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo had questioned why the police had not contacted Rajeswari for updates, despite nine months having passed since her husband’s death.
Describing the delays as “unacceptable,” Gobind said he planned to meet Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to discuss the need for reforms in procedures involved in probing custodial deaths.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh DeoGobind, who is also a lawyer, reminded that the attorney-general had, on Dec 6, instructed the police to complete the investigation without further delay.
On Dec 4, he had called upon the AGC to clarify Rajeswari’s allegations that the authorities had failed to investigate her husband’s death.
No clear cause of death provided
This came after Malaysiakini first reported on how her husband had died in custody under allegedly suspicious circumstances.
Previously, Rajeswari claimed to have seen injuries on her husband's chest, two broken teeth, and traces of blood around his eyes when she was allowed to view his body.
S RajeswariShe also claimed that the autopsy report contained contradictory explanations, including the possibility of a heart attack, fungal infection, drug use, and fluid in the lungs.
However, she said that her husband's death certificate had only listed the cause of death as "pending further investigation."
Eventually, after waiting for so long in uncertainty, Rajeswari appealed for the home minister’s intervention to resolve the vague circumstances surrounding her husband’s death. - Mkini

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