Lawyer Americk Sidhu will continue to represent the widow of former private investigator P Balasubramaniam, A Santamil Selvi, in her suit against controversial carpet businessman Deepak Jaikishian.

Americk informed this to the Federal Court today.

With this, Americk informed the bench that he is withdrawing his application to discharge himself from this case.

The apex court has now fixed April 26 to hear the separate leave application by lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah who appear for Deepak and Santamil Selvi.

Deepak is appealing for the case to be heard on its merits as ordered by the Court of Appeal at the High Court.

Santamil Selvi is applying leave to appeal over the Court of Appeal's decision to grant it consent judgment against Deepak after he had earlier conceded.

Chief Judge of Malaya Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin, who headed the three-member bench, struck out Americk's motion to discharge himself and made no order as to costs. The other judges were Federal Court judges Justices Ahmad Ma'arop and Azahar Mohamed.

Santamil Selvi and her children had filed a RM2 million suit against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor along with six others, including Deepak following the family's exile for five years after Balasubramaniam made the first statutory declaration.

Her suit against Najib, Rosmah, and the others excluding Deepak had been struck out by the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court.

Hidden purpose

It was previously reported that Americk had last month sought Santamil Selvi to give him instructions on whether to proceed with the case at the Federal Court and the hearing at the High Court.

This came about when Santamil Selvi, who is a kindergarten teacher, had allegedly accused Americk, Kapar MP G Manivannan, and Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah of promising to provide her with living expenses on condition that she agrees to an interview with Australian journalists and exaggerate the facts involved in the murder of the Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Americk had asked her to retract her statement or he would decide to discharge himself and Sivarasa denied making any promises to Santamil Selvi with regard to her children’s education.

It was also reported that Santamil Selvi had also recently apologised to Najib and Rosmah.

Americk also asked the pro-Najib NGO, Pertubuhan Minda Sosial dan Prihatin (PMSP), which has donated more than RM20,000 to the kindergarten teacher, whether it was using Santamil Selvi's case for a hidden purpose.

“I want to ask the NGO whether it has also helped others in need. If so, why weren't there any reports by the media? The NGO is known to be BN-friendly and I am concerned that she may have been used for a particular purpose,” said the lawyer.

Americk told reporters outside the Federal Court today that Santamil Selvi has agreed to retain him and that is why he is withdrawing his application to discharge himself.