The protracted 'John Doe' inquest to identify a body lying in the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre morgue sputtered to yet another stop today after the court was told that the detailed DNA analysis done by a chemist was 'privileged' information.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ishak Mohd Yusoff, representing the Attorney-General's Chambers, said the analysis involved a bone marrow specimen extracted on May 23 last year from a body retrieved from the Klang River.

Two weeks ago, Kuala Lumpur magistrate Nazran Mohd Sham - acting as coroner - ruled that statements recorded by the police were ' privileged' information that could not be made available to M Puravalen, the lawyer representing G Sara Lily, the mother of missing police detainee G Francis Udayappan ( left ).

Speaking to malaysiakini after meeting Puravalen and Nazran in chambers, Ishak said the chemistry department's working papers relating to the summary DNA analysis are confidential and open only to the AG's Chambers and coroner.

"These are the chemist's case notes and, thus, are privileged documents," he said, pointing out that Puravelan has copies of the summary analysis and thus would not need additional details.

"The electropherogram charts were summarised in the appendix to the chemist's report, of which Puravelan has a copy."

Sara Lily has claimed that 'John Doe' is her son,. She has alleged that Francis was beaten to death while in police custody last April and that his body was thrown into the river.

While she maintained that she identified the body as that of her son through the tattoos on the body and teeth deformities, DNA results had failed to prove a match.

Twelve inconsistencies

During today's proceedings, head of the chemistry department's DNA paternity unit Dr Chang Yuet Meng described her findings.

She said that, while two inconsistencies are usually allowed in any paternity case, this was not the case in her analysis of DNA specimens from the body.

Chang said there were 12 inconsistencies in 15 genetic markers between the DNA sample extracted from the body and those provided by Sara Lily and Francis' father S Govindasamy.

Puravelen then asked Chang for the electropherogram charts detailing her analysis of DNA samples purportedly belonging to Francis.

After Ishak objected, Nazran ordered an adjournment to discuss the matter in chambers. Reporters were later told that submissions on the matter would be heard on Monday.

Puravelan said there should be no objections to making available the electropherogram charts containing the DNA profile and questioned why these were being kept under wraps.

"We already have the summary analysis. We would just like the working papers to see how the conclusions were reached. They just don't want to give these to us," he said.

Another lawyer for Sara Lily, Ravi Nekoo, said the matter is likely to be referred to the high court for review, whatever the coroner's decision.