The police claimed that he took his own life after a botched kidnap attempt. Now some are wondering if desperation over a wage dispute had led 20-year-old Indian national Ilayarajah to abduct his former employer's son.

Taking up the matter is Parti Keadilan Rakyat's (PKR) Youth wing, which lodged a police report today alleging 'cover-up' in the incident.

The report was lodged by its deputy Youth head S Manikavasagam at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters.

"This case is highly suspicious and police (cover-up) is suspected in this," he said when met later.

The police had previously ruled out any foul play, claiming that Illayarajah had plunged 14 floors to his death at an apartment in Damansara Damai on April 25.

News reports said the Indian national was suspected of kidnapping his former employer's 10-year-old son.

Phone calls

"We (PKR) believe this was not a kidnap case because if it was, the kidnapper would have not have demanded for RM2,300 (the ransom said to have been demanded by Ilayarajah)," said Manikavasagam.

According to him, there are security guards monitoring the premises around the clock but there was no report in their records on any death occurring.

"The police are well-trained, efficient and have vast experience in matters like this; why is it that they could not capture him (Ilayarajah) alive," he said.

The PKR leader added that he has received numerous phone calls from residents in the apartment casting doubts on the official version of the incident.

"We believe that there is a high possibility that the facts have not been disclosed by the police in this case," he said.

Manikavasagam called on the police to launch a detailed investigation into the matter and expressed hope that the authorities will send back Ilayarajah's remains, which is at the University Malaya Medical Centre mortuary, to his home country.

Sworn statement

Earlier, lawyer N Surendran, who was also present, became embroiled in an argument with police personnel after they refused to accept the report, saying that it should have been lodged with the Sungai Buloh police station.

"Why is the police taking the side of the employer instead of this foreigner?" asked the irate lawyer, adding that RM2,300 is too little an amount to be classified as ransom.

Surendran also raised the possibility that Ilayarajah could have been demanding for his outstanding salary and this was supported by the sworn statement of a witness, who declined to be named.

In the statement, which was attached to the report, the witness said he saw Ilayarajah's shoes on the 15th floor and his wallet on the 14th floor on the day of his death.

"I know the deceased and he has told me before that the owner of the restaurant, who is also the deceased's former employer, has not paid him four months salary.

"And the RM2,300 requested by the deceased is not ransom for his son but the deceased's salary which has not been paid by the employer," read the statement.

Manikavagam will be meeting representatives from the Indian High Commissioner this evening to discuss this issue.

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