PENANG - Padang Serai MP N Gobalakrishnan was arrested outside the Magistrates Court in Bukit Mertajam Monday morning for a case that has been pending since 2004.
Gobalakrishnan was at court on Monday for a mention with regards to the Aug 18 case in which he was charged with using criminal force to prevent a policeman from discharging his duty during nomination for the recent Permatang Pasir by-election.
Appearing with his family and lawyers in front of the media, the MP was taken by surprise when a police team from Perak arrested him, citing a warrant of arrest issued by the Tapah Magistrates Court on Aug 20.
He was accused of ramming into a roadblock and fighting and quarrelling with a police officer in the 2004 incident in Perak.
The Star reported that earlier in the court, defence counsel JM Martin made an application to magistrate Mohamed Azhar Hamzah for the return of Gobalakrishnan’s torn pants and the belt that he had worn during the Aug 17 incident in Permatang Pasir.
Martin also told the court that he was making the application under Section 20 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Using criminal force
Gobalakrishnan is alleged to have committed the offence in front of the Youth Skills Development Institute in Bukit Mertajan at about 11am on Aug 17.
He was charged with using criminal force to prevent sub-inspector M Karunamuthi from discharging his duties. Gobalakrishnan claimed trial.
Mohamad Azhar had earlier rejected an application from the defence team for the police to surrender to the court the pants and the belt belonging to the accused, saying they feared the police might tamper with the evidence.
However, the prosecution requested the court not to entertain the request and said the items would be displayed as exhibits during the proceedings.
The court will study the section an fixed Oct 28 for the case to be rementioned.
MM
28/09/09
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