Kugan case: Court fixes May 29 for submission

The High Court here today fixed May 29 for submission on a negligence suit filed by the mother of A. Kugan, a suspect who died in police custody. Justice Datuk V. T. Singham set the date in the presence of counsel R. L. Bani Prakash representing Kugan's mother, N. Indra, and senior federal counsel Azizan Md Arshad. On Jan 13, last year, Indra filed a claim for RM100 million in damages, by naming Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar who was Selangor police chief, as first defendant, former police constable V. Navindran (who was found guilty of causing injuries to Kugan) as second defendant, followed by former Subang Jaya police chief ACP Zainal Rashid Abu Bakar, inspector-general of police and the Government. In her statement of claim, Indra alleged the defendants failed to ensure the safety, health and welfare of her son while he was under police detention from Jan 14 to 20, 2009. Kugan, then 23, was detained as a luxury car theft suspect.