Teresa Kok

Press Statement by YB Teresa Kok, MP for Seputeh at Kuala Lumpur on 20th August 2006

Police Should Investigate The Reasons Behind Dr Sargunadevi’s Police Report Of allegedly Returning To Her Family On He Own Free Will After She Has Been allegedly abducted By Her Father Witnessed by Many

I am appalled to read in the New Straits Times that there is a new twist in the “abducted wife” saga involving Rakesh a/l Maniam and Dr Sargunadevi. It was reported that Dr Sagunadevi had lodged a police report claiming that she left her husband on her own free will.

The police should investigate why she lodged such a report after she was taken away by force at the Renaissance Hotel in Melaka in front of her husband Rakesh and her in-laws on August 1 st, 2006. Besides, the police should also investigate why her latest police report was entirely different from the two police reports filed by her after her wedding in July 2006. The police should not encourage inconsistency in reports made in their stations and release such contradictions to the press but get to the bottom of the matter expeditiously. The police must answer why it has taken them unusual and baffling 3 weeks to solve this straight forward matter where there in incontrovertible evidence of a lawful marriage and a non consensual taking away of the wife and where the parties are all known to the police.

I had written a letter seeking an appointment with the Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Bakri bin Omar. A copy of the letter was extended to Dato’ Mohd Fauzi Hj Sa’ari, the Director of Criminal Investigation Department in Bukit Aman with regard to this case. In view of the fact that a few police reports had been lodged by Rakesh and Dr Sargunadevi in various places in the country, this case should be investigated at the national level by the Federal Police Headquarters.

I urge the police to take this case seriously and it shouldn’t be seen as a pure “family matter” and set the case aside, as the incident happened in a public place in front of the husband and many eye-witnesses. Rakesh has informed me and his lawyer that the police has told him that investigations under sec.365 of the Penal Code has been opened. We are a country of rules, the rule of law is supreme and no one is above the law and justice should prevail. The police must be seen as evenhanded. I also feel the there is a breach of woman’s legal right to freedom under the law and it will be a major setback for all the hard fought progress made by Womens Rights Groups.

I also urge Dr Sargunadevi’s parents to respect the choice and wishes of their daughter on an important issue that involves her future and her life, and return their daughter to her lawfully-married husband, Rakesh.

Teresa Kok

20 Ogos 2006

Kepada
Y Bhg Tan Sri Bakri bin Omar
Ketua Polis Negara
Faks: 03- 2691 0707

Y Bhg Tan Sri,

Minta Perjumpaan Berkenaan Dengan Kes Kehilangan Dr Sargunadevi Yang Disiasat Oleh Polis Di Bawah Seksyen 365 Kanun Keseksaan

Merujuk kepada perkara di atas, dengan hormatnya saya ingin minta satu perjumpaan bersama dengan Encik Rakesh a/l Maniam yang telah membuat laporan polis tentang isterinya Dr Sargunadevi yang ditangkap oleh beberapa lelaki dan dimasukkan dalam kereta yang dipandu cepat meninggalkan Hotel Renaissance di Melaka pada 1 Ogos 2006. Perkara ini berlaku dalam pertemuan di antara Rakesh dengan keluarga Dr Sargunadevi di lobi hotel berkenaan.

Untuk makluman Tan Sri, Rakesh dan Dr Sargunadevi telah mendaftar perkahwinan mereka pada 5 Julai 2006 di Hindu Sangam di Kuala Lumpur tetapi perkahwinan mereka mendatangkan bantahan kuat daripada ibubapa Dr Sargunadevi. Dr Sargunadevi telah membuat dua laporan polis (No laporan polis: BK MERTAJAM/005049/06, cheras/010882/06)berkenaan dengan bantahan dan gangguan ibubapanya sebulan sebelum beliau ditangkap dan hilang pada 1 Ogos 2006.

Rakesh diberitahu oleh polis di Melaka bahawa laporan polisnya MTR/005013/06 disiasat di bawah seksyen 365 Kanun Keseksaan. Beliau berasa amat kesal terhadap siasatan yang agak lambat terhadap aduan polisnya di mana beliau tidak dapat berjumpa dengan isterinya selama 20 hari setakat hari ini.

Sehubungan dengan itu, kami terbaca dalam akhbar New Straits Times pada 19 Ogos 2006 di mana polis di Melaka dilaporkan berkata bahawa Dr Sargunadevi telah membuat satu laporan polis yang menyatakan bahawa beliau meninggalkan suaminya secara rela hati. Saya merasa amat hairan untuk membaca laporan ini. Saya menyeru pihak polis untuk menyiasat sebab Dr Sargunadevi membuat laporan polis yang tidak sejajar (inconsistent) dengan dua laporan polis yang dibuat oleh beliau pada bulan Julai 2006. Pihak polis juga diminta menyiasat sebab Dr Sargunadevi membuat laporan polis sebegini selepas beliau ‘hilang secara paksaan’ di hadapan suami dan keluarga suaminya.

Memandangkan beberapa laporan polis telahpun dibuat oleh Dr Sargunadevi sebelum kehilangan dirinya pada 1 Ogos 2006, saya menyeru pihak polis untuk menjalankan siasatan yang serius terhadap kes ini dan tidak menganggap kes ini sebagai “masalah rumahtangga” sahaja. Saya mencadangkan supaya kes ini diambil-alih oleh Bahagian Siasatan Jenayah di Bukit Aman memandangkan beberapa laporan polis telah dibuat oleh Rakesh dan isterinya Dr Sargunadevi di balai polis di seluruh negeri, selain itu ia juga telah menjadi satu kes yang menarik tumpuan orang ramai.

Dengan itu, saya berharap pihak Tan Sri dan pegawai di Bahagian Siasatan Jenayah di Ibu Pejabat Polis sudi berjumpa Rakesh dengan saya berkenaan siasatan kes ini dengan secepat mungkin. Saya boleh dihubungi pada nombor tel: 03-7983 6768 (O) dan faks: 03-7983 7576.

Segala kerjasama dan bantuan Tan Sri terhadap kes ini adalah amat dihargai dan didahulukan terima kasih.

Yang benar,

___________
YB Teresa Kok
Ahli Parlimen Seputeh

s.k.:
Dato’ Mohd Fauzi Hj Sa’ari, Pengarah Bahagian Siasatan Jenayah, Ibu Pejabat PDRM, Bukit Aman. No Faks: 03- 2273 3832