Businessman charged over 'RM19m to settle probe' on Penang tunnel
Businessperson G Gnanaraja was charged in the Shah Alam Sessions Court this morning with deceiving the managing director of the main contractor for the Penang undersea tunnel project.
He claimed trial to duping Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd's Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli on three occasions in 2017 into paying him RM19 million...
Businessperson G Gnanaraja was charged in the Shah Alam Sessions Court this morning with deceiving the managing director of the main contractor for the Penang undersea tunnel project.
He claimed trial to duping Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd's Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli on three occasions in 2017 into paying him RM19 million.
The 38-year-old businessperson had allegedly convinced Zarul that he could use his political connections to close MACC's investigations against the managing director.
According to the first charge, Gnanaraja was accused of deceiving Zarul into handing RM2 million at the Eastin Hotel, Selangor, sometime in July 2017. The second charge accused Gnanaraja of deceiving Zarul into transferring RM15 million into the former's account that same month.
According to the third charge, Gnanaraja was accused of again deceiving Zarul (photo, below) of handing over RM2 million at the Eastin Hotel, Selangor, in August 2017.
Gnanaraja faces the charges under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. If convicted, he can be jailed for between one and 10 years, whipped and fined, for each charge.
The accused claimed trial to all charges. Judge Rozilah Salleh set bail at RM100,000 and ordered Gnanaraja to surrender his passport.
Case management will commence on May 6.
Deputy public prosecutors Umar Saifuddin Jaafar and Allan Suman Pillai prosecuted while Gnanaraja was represented by Geethan Ram Vincent.
Last February, the MACC seized property and cash valued at RM7.5 million from a businessperson who allegedly received RM19 million to help stop an MACC investigation into the Penang tunnel project.
This followed a letter of demand by Zenith to the businessperson to demand the return of RM19 million after the businessperson allegedly failed to deliver on "consultancy" work in July 2017.
Described on his website as a Malaysian actor, film producer, social entrepreneur and public speaker, Gnanaraja also has a number of business interests.
His wife G Geethanjali is a prominent social media personality among the Tamil-speaking community.
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