The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today accepted businessperson Deepak Jaikishian's first defence statement in the suit filed by A Santamil Selvi, the widow of the late P Balasubramaniam, linked to the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Deepak, through his new counsel Vinod Kamalamathan, today consented to Santamil Selvi's request that his first defence be accepted, and his second defence statement rejected.

The first defence statement – which he gave to lawyer Americk Sidhu on Oct 25 last year – implicates former premier Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor as causing the exile of Santamil Selvi's family, and confirmed Deepak role in the matter.

The second statement had been filed by lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah on Nov 7 last year. 

Justice Hue Siew Kheng also ruled today that Shafee had no authority to act for Deepak at the time.

Hue also accepted Deepak's withdrawal of an application filed by Shafee's firm to recuse her.

The judge made the decision in chambers after meeting all parties.

Americk Sidhu, representing Santamil Selvi, said this to reporters after meeting the judge in chambers.along with Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram.

When met later by Malaysiakini, Deepak said this showed that he was forced to appoint Shafee.

He also noted that his first defence statement was consistent with what he said in press conferences in 2012.

"I am glad I filed the first defence," the businessperson said, adding that Shafee was appointed by "someone."

Second SD drafted by Cecil

Deepak also stated that he plans to hold a press conference on Friday. 

He also reiterated what he had earlier alleged, that senior lawyer Cecil Abraham and his son Sunil had helped draft Balasubramaniam's second statutory declaration in 2008 on Najib's instructions.

Santamil Selvi had wanted Deepak to be cross-examined on the above two applications as to which defence he had filed, and to strike our the second defence.

On Feb 6, Hue allowed Deepak to be cross-examined. 

Despite several attempts to do so, however, he could not make it to court for the cross-examination, which resulted in Hue fixing today to deliver her decision on what action needed to be taken against him.

But after giving his consent to Santamil's application, Hue agreed to record a consent order. 

Case management has been fixed for July 30. 

The Court of Appeal had earlier fixed July 25 to hear the appeal of the other eight defendants over their failure to strike out the suit.

Santamil and her children filed the suit in Aug 1 last year, claiming injury and loss of income following the family's exile to India from 2008 to 2013.

The claimed they were forced to flee the country, as they feared for their safety following Balasubramaniam's first and second SDs to the authorities on the murder of Altantuya.

She named Najib and Rosmah among the defendants. 

The suit also names as defendants Cecil and Sunil; two of Najib's siblings, Nazim and Ahmad Johari; as well as lawyer M Arulampalam, who held the press conference for the second SD.