Carpet trader Deepak claims Shafee coerced him to lie in court on orders from Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: Controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan has lodged a police report against lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Rahim for allegedly obstructing the course of justice in a suit related to the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
The carpet trader who made the report at the Dang Wangi police station here on Friday, and who is a defendant in the suit filed by widow of private investigator P. Balasubramaniam, A. Santhamil Selvi, claimed that against his will, Shafee was appointed to the case as his lawyer by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
Deepak claimed that as he had refused to give false testimony in the suit as allegedly ordered by Shafee and Azeez, the duo had on several occasions demanded that he not show up to court on the pretext of being medically unfit.
Deepak claimed Shafee had allegedly ordered him to obtain medical leave from a government hospital on one occasion and in another Azeez had arranged for him to be warded at a private hospital under the watch of a doctor, who was a friend of the politician.
The trader said he was force to adhere to the orders as he was under continuous pressure by Najib and those in league with him.
Deepak alleged that the duo had also cautioned him about the consequences of speaking truthfully in his court testimony, both in personal and business terms.
He also states in his report that he has audio and visual recordings of the coercions by Shafee and Azeez to substantiate his claims.
"I believe Najib, Shafee and Azeez are guilty of being in contempt of court and also perverting the cause of of justice by interfering with a witness and have committed various offences under the Penal Code," he said in his report.
Dang Wangi police chief ACP Shaharuddin Abdullah said the report was handed over to Sentul police for further action.