The Putrajaya MIC division office was sealed yesterday after its leader S Kanappati failed to pay almost a year's worth of rent.

The office was sealed at about 11.30am by a court bailiff. Also present were building owners Dr Balwinder Singh and S Vipin Kumar.

According to Balwinder, Kanappati had owed him and his partner RM7,200 after failing to pay the RM800 monthly rent from October 2007 to June last year.

"He went missing. He didn't pick up my calls and I tried my best to reach him but I couldn't," he told Malaysiakini.

Balwinder explained that MIC started renting the place in June 2007.

"Even then, he only paid for the deposit and did not pay the rent until September when he suddenly turned up to pay four months rent.

"However starting from October 2007 onwards, he went missing and did not pay any rent after that," he said.

'He opened up a restaurant'

Balwinder further alleged that Kanappati actually had the money to pay the rent but avoided doing so.

"He opened up a restaurant in the same vicinity with hired workers and all that. He had the money to open up a business but not pay rent," he said.

Following this, the medical doctor took the matter to court.

Contacted later, MIC secretary-general and Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam said the matter was an isolated one and has nothing to do with the party in general.

"It's got nothing to do with the party. It's a private matter between the division and the tenant so it doesn't have anything to do with the party," he added.