Man files RM3.6m suit over son’s death under remand

(Bernama) – A man whose son died while held under remand at the Sungai Buloh Prison near here last month after allegedly being assaulted by other remand prisoners, today filed a RM3.6 million suit against the government for negligence.

M.Ghaur Chandram, 52, a taxi driver, named the Home Ministry secretary-general and the prison’s director as the first and second respondents respectively.

He also named the medical officer on duty at the prison, the two wardens of its remand section and the government of Malaysia as the third to sixth respondents.

The suit was filed at the Civil High Court registrar’s office here through the law firm of Messrs Arnold Andrew & Co.

Ghaur Chandram is seeking a total of RM3,661,000 in damages and other relief deemed fit by the court.

In his statement of claim, Ghaur Chandram alleged that the second to fifth respondendents failed in their duty to ensure the safety of his son Uthayachandran.

He further alleged that there was delay in notifying the family of Uthayachandran’s death and that the medical records did not state whether his son died at the prison block or at the prison’s hospital.

The prison authorities, he alleged, also paid scant regard to the grief his family suffered as a result of the loss of their son.

Uthayachandran, who was held in remand over a drug case, died on May 18 2008.