The mother of police detainee G Francis Udayappan today formally proceeded with an appeal to the High Court for a review of a coroner's decision that there was no foul play involved in his death.

In her appeal, G Sara Lily, also disputes the April 7 verdict by Magistrate Nazran Mohd Sham - acting as coroner - that the manner of her son's death could not be ascertained.

"She maintains her stand that it was the police who were responsible for the death of her son," her lawyer N Surendran told reporters adding the notice to appeal to the High Court was first filed on April 14 pending the coroner's judgement which was obtained recently.

Twenty-four year old Francis was said to have escaped from custody in April 16, 2004, after he was detained in connection with a theft case and subsequently held at the Brickfields district police headquarters.

Sara Lily insisted throughout the duration of the two-year inquest that it was her son whose body was fished out from the Klang river a month after his alleged escape from police custody.

Although the coroner confirmed the body to be that of Francis, Surendran said the magistrate had erred when he 'absolved' the police of any responsibility in the death.

Potential witnesses

Surendran said Sara Lily is asking the High Court to overturn the coroner's decision and 'bring to justice all those responsible' for her son's death, said Surendran.

Elaborating, he said the coroner had also erred in accepting and overlooking the many 'contradictions and holes' in the evidence provided by the police.

Among these, said Surendran, were the large number of potential witnesses who were not called to testify at the inquest including then Brickfields district police chief Zulhasnan Najib Baharudin.

Surendran added the coroner had not examined sufficiently Sara Lily's claims that she had received an anonymous phone call the night before Francis' 'escape' alleging her son had been beaten to death and thrown into the river.