Indian’s disappearance in Malaysia being probed

KUALA LUMPUR - An investigation has been launched into the disappearance of an Indian businessman in Malaysia as police suspect he was murdered.

A. Muthuraja arrived here in January to conclude a business deal. He was received by two Malaysian lawyer brothers, but went missing after he spoke to his family from their farm house.

His family members in India are hoping he is still alive. Muthuraja’s brother Kasi Viswanathan told the media in India that he believed Muthuraja was being “held captive by some people”.

Selangor state police chief Deputy Commissioner Khalid Abu Bakar said the case would be investigated for murder.

Police are probing more cases of missing people. Forensic experts have recovered bones from the riverbed in the farm house that could belong to 20 people, media reports have said.

“We have yet to confirm if he is dead. We will wait for DNA samples to ascertain if some of the bones found in Banting were that of the Indian businessman,” said Khalid.

The Malaysian police are in touch with their Indian counterparts and have also sought the help of Interpol.

Though police last week said they had an “iron clad” case against the lawyer brothers, the Attorney General’s office returned the case papers for further investigation, New Straits Times said Thursday.

Muthuraja, a Chennai-based businesman who financed film production, had business partnership with the two brothers. His family members say he was keen to pull out as things were not working well.

Muthuraja’s case has caused a stir in Malaysia and Tamil Nadu, India, from where there are thousands of ethnic Indians settled in Malaysia.

Malaysian Indian lawmaker S. Manikavasagam said police needed to take the DNA samples from Muthuraja’s parents to assist in investigations.

He accompanied the businessman’s second wife S. Usharani to the Kuala Langat police headquarters here Wednesday.

Usharani, who had arrived from India, looked distraught, The Star newspaper said.