Sujatha committed suicide, rules coroner

Drama actress K Sujatha died after knowingly consuming a lethal weed killer, the coroner's court pronounced today.

Coroner Mohd Faizi Che Abu did not find any foul play in relation to the case.

"I am of the view that the victim had committed suicide," he said.

"To conclude my finding, I held that the deceased had died on June 25, 2007 at 10.25am... her cause of death is paraquat ingestion and she died in a manner which she had committed suicide.

"I further rule out the involvement of anybody in her death," he said.

Faizi said he had come to this conclusion as there were no other injuries on the victim's body except those that were consistent to the consumption of paraquat, among others.

A total of 24 witnesses had testified during the inquest into the death of the 28-year-old.

Grounds of judgment

"There are many theories that can be easily speculated out of her death but my role is to decide on the evidence and nothing else," said Faizi.

"Was she murdered or otherwise? This is the question everyone is asking. This is due to several issues and I would like to discuss those issues first before I state my views and my findings."

These are the grounds on which the finding of suicide was reached:

• The position of the injury inflicted on the lower part of the mouth which suggested that the deceased had taken the corrosive substance in the position where her body was standing straight up.

• No other injuries seen on the body which ruled out any form of physical force being applied on the deceased. Hence, after agreeing to an expert statement, she had taken paraquat voluntarily as there was no splash on her face.

• No reason to disbelieve the sworn testimonies from Sujatha's relatives and the doctors that she had confessed that she consumed the poison unknowingly, as the testimonies were consistent.

• Paraquat was consumed from the bottle itself, and she could not have taken it unknowingly as it was sealed and the seal had to be broken before consumption.

Moreover, Faizi also said that the "it would be impossible" for Sujatha to confuse the weed killer with cough syrup due to its pungent smell.

The coroner also highlighted the decision to rush Sujatha to the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang rather than to the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital, which is equipped with the best emergency trauma infrastructure and which is closer to her home.

Faizi said that he accepted Dr SP Saktiveloo's (left) reasoning the traffic conditions on the day of her death would not have made any difference and that he would be able to personally monitor Sujatha's treatment (at Klang Hospital).

(Saktiveloo was practising at the Klang Hospital at that time).

However, the coroner described that the missing urine sample of the deceased as the "the most disturbing evidence in the inquest".

"The doctor testified that this was normal in the Klang hospital but in my view it is not a reasonable excuse especially in medico-legal cases such as this.

"I come to the conclusion that the only implication is, (the missing samples) had deprived me of obtaining medical certainty as to whether the deceased had taken paraquat," he said, adding that he had to rely on circumstantial evidence and oral testimonies of witnesses.

He also explained that the family members and the doctors could not have agreed on something that was "fictitious or untrue" as they had seen paraquat residue on Sujatha's body and they has also smelt the odour.

'No third party'

The inquest was initiated after a police report was lodged by opposition parliamentarian S Manikavasagam, purporting that Vell Paari, who is MIC president S Samy Vellu's son, had a hand in her death.

Manikavasagam (left) had created a ruckus when he produced a poison pen letter alleging the involvement of a third party and that Sujatha was murdered.

"I must be careful not to allow evidence that is not credible to become a basis of my finding... I hold that the poison letter is not credible evidence," said Faizi.

The Kapar MP had also produced a VCD of Sujatha's funeral to illustrate that Vell Paari's relationship with his employee was more than just platonic.

"His presences (at the funeral) is understandable as the deceased was his personal assistant... (Manikavasagam's) view in respect of Vell Paari's reaction is totally irrelevant and purely personal observation," said Faizi.

Furthermore, Manikavasagam had also alleged that Sujatha's father had telephoned him and asked him to raise the issue. But her father had denied this.

"At this point I am of the view that I believe the evidence of the father as he would be the last person to speak falsely in respect of his own daughter's death," said Faizi.

The coroner also ruled out Manikavasagam's information that he received a "mysterious call" relating to the truth behind Sujatha's death.

'She was in love'

On Vell Paari's alleged romantic affiliation with Sujatha, the coroner said that it was obvious from her writing in her diary that "she was in love".

"However, I could not identify the man that she was in love with... but I have the evidence of a photo of Vell Paari next to her bed and the evidence during the proceeding also showed the close relationship between Vell Paari and the deceased.

"He could be the person the deceased was in love with but I am reluctant to decide on this issue as it has no bearing in this inquest.

"I say this because, it matters not who was the love of her life was as she had committed suicide for the reasons best known to her.

"Her lover may be morally wrong but not legally... secondly, I am not here to pass my judgement on anybody's morals."

Commenting on the judgment, Vell Paari's lawyer, K Kumaraendran (right) hoped that public perception of the issue will change.

"The perception of the public caused by certain political quarters having their own agenda will forever be buried by the verdict of the coroner. Of particular importance is the finding of the coroner that no third party was involved in the death of Sujatha," he said.

"This should silence all once and for all especially the findings of the coroner on Manikavasagam's evidence."

Vell Paari angry

In a related development, Vell Paari said the coroner's finding has exonerated him of the accusation that he had caused Sujatha's death.

"I have always maintained my innocence in regard to Miss Sujatha Krishnan's case. The coroner's verdict today proves what I have been saying all this while," he said in a statement.

However he said he was upset with the actions of "an unscrupulous politician" who had dragged Sujatha's and her family's reputation into political gutter for "his own political gain purely because she is not there to defend herself".

Vell Paari also said that, with this matter settled, he would concentrate on Maika Holdings. A proposal has been submitted to the government to save the investment arm of MIC.