Ex-MIC veep S. Balakrishnan charged over RM12.8m claim

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) vice-president Tan Sri S. Balakrishnan was charged with submitting an "interim payment claim" with false information for RM12.8 million at the sessions court here today.
Balakrishnan, 63, claimed trial to the charge of submitting the document through a quantity surveyor to the director of special project division of the Drainage and Irrigation Department for the supply and delivery of 358 units of "Dewatering Container" amounting RM12,888,000, although only 89 units were supplied.
He was alleged to have committed the offence at the special project division office at the Drainage department, between April 27, 2012 and Oct 13, 2013.
Sessions judge Allaudeen Ismail granted RM500,000 bail with two sureties or submission of land grant as bail. He also fixed Aug 28, 2017 for a mention.
In another sessions court, Balakrishnan's son, Ashok Kumar, 31, was charged with abetting the father.
Both the accused were represented by lawyer A. Ashok Athimulan and John Das, while MACC's Deputy Public Prosecutor S. Thangavelu prosecuted the case.