Indira Gandhi says suing IGP for RM100m over failure to retrieve daughter, to launch justice trek
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — Hindu mother M. Indira Gandhi said she will file a lawsuit claiming RM100 million from the inspector-general of police over his agency’s continued failure to execute a court order to reunite her with her youngest daughter, M.Prasana Diksa.
On April 2, 2009, Indira’s ex-husband K. Pathmanathan ― now known as Muhammad Riduan Abdullah ― covertly converted the couple’s three children to Islam without their knowledge and Indira’s consent, before going to the Shariah court just a few days later to obtain custody rights for them.
He absconded with Prasana later, who was only a toddler then.
“I will file the lawsuit tomorrow or the day after in the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
“What else can I do? This is the only legal way I can pursue to get my daughter back and to make those who were ordered by the court to return her to me, accountable,” Indira told Malay Mail when contacted.
Indira said the lawsuit would be filed by the law firm, Raj & Sach.
She told Malay Mail that she will also proceed with her planned justice walk from Sungai Petani to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Putrajaya on November 21.
“Yes, I am going to do the justice walk. That will go on,” Indira said.
After a protracted court battle, the Federal Court ruled in January 2018 that the unilateral conversions of Indira’s children were unlawful.
However, the police have yet to recover Prasana and return her to Indira despite the decision and a previous mandamus order she secured compelling the IGP to execute the recovery.
In August, IGP Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said that the police were looking for an amicable solution where both Indira and her husband Muhammad Riduan Abdullah will get the benefit of “some form of joint custody”.
He also confirmed that the fugitive Muhammad Riduan was living abroad to avoid detection, and efforts are ongoing with the help of several senior state politicians to convince him to return.
This is despite an Ipoh High Court ruling in 2010 granting full custody of all children to Indira.
Previously Indira also said plans for a hunger strike on September 11 were still in motion unless she or the Indira Gandhi Action Team (Ingat) representing her received concrete news from Abdul Hamid on Prasana by August 31.
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