Gov't closes PI Bala's 'double SD' case

The authorities have closed a case against private investigator P Balasubramaniam for giving a false statement in his statutory declarations.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said that the decision to close the case was made after "careful consideration" on the results of the police probe and witness statements. 

"Although there are contradictions between the two statutory declarations, it did not at all affect the Altantuya trial. 

"Moreoever, it is believed that the individual (Balasubramaniam) is still abroad," said Mohd Nazri in a written reply to question posed during his winding-up speech on the Supply Bill (2011) on Monday.

He said that investigations on Balasubramaniam was conducted under Section 199 of the Penal Code for providing false statements.

Under this law, offenders are liable to a maximum jail term of three years and a fine. 

It is believed that investigations against Balasubramaniam were commenced after he retracted a damning statutory declaration in July 2008, which implicated Prime Minister Najib Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor in the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The statutory declaration - which also accused Najib of having a tryst with Altantuya in Singapore - was retracted under suspicious circumstances. Balasubramaniam also fled the country immediately after the fiasco. 

Police to locate Rahimi's SD

Meanwhile, Mohd Nazri also revealed that the Attorney-General’s Chambers have returned investigations papers on allegations by Rahimi Osman, who claims that he was forced to sign statutory declarations under duress, to the police.

Mohd Nazri said that the police are now tasked with locating the contentious statutory declarations - the main crux of Rahimi’s complaints - which were not in his possession.

He said the matter was still being investigated by the Commercial Crimes Investigation Department and and were submitted to the AG’s Chambers on Oct 22.

On Oct 6, Rahimi lodged a police report claiming that he was forced to sign two statutory declarations in June 2008 to implicate Najib and Rosmah in a conspiracy against Anwar Ibrahim.

Rahimi, who is a former aide to Anwar, alleged that he was detained against his will at a hotel in Shah Alam and was forced to sign the documents under duress by his former employer’s lawyers.