Published: Monday March 16, 2009 MYT 7:57:00 PM
Updated: Monday March 16, 2009 MYT 9:08:43 PM

Actress Sujatha called Maika chief Vell Paari twice, inquest told

By YUEN MEIKENG

KUALA LUMPUR: Actress K. Sujatha called Maika Holdings’ chief executive officer S. Vell Paari twice on the same day she was hospitalised for allegedly drinking the weedkiller, paraquat, an inquest heard.

The son of MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, Vell Paari, told the inquest into the woman’s death on Monday that there were no other form of relationship between him and Sujatha aside from him caring for her as an employer.

Sujatha, who worked as his personal assistant and corporate communications department head was believed to have died on June 25, 2007 after drinking the poison.

The first day of the inquest into her mysterious death revealed that she had first called Vell Paari at about 6pm on June 19, 2007, to ask his permission to come to his house so that he could sign a few documents and cheques.

When he said he would meet her the next day to sign the papers, Sujatha called again 15 minutes later but this time said she was unwell with stomach pain.

“She said she wanted to take the next day off,” said Vell Paari when questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor Geethan Ram Vincent at the magistrate’s court here.

He offered to drive her to the hospital but upon arrival at her condominium in Jalan Ipoh, Sujatha told him that she needed time to change and would call him when she was ready.

Vell Paari then left the condominium to the Odeon Cinema to check on tickets he wanted to buy.

On his way there, Sujatha’s brother Yugenthiran called his cell phone to inform him that his sister had drunk paraquat.

When Vell Paari contacted Sujatha, she kept repeating “theriyama kudichiten” in Tamil, which meant that she had unknowingly drunk something.

Vell Paari went back to the condominium and contacted his first cousin Dr S.P. Sakthiveloo who was one of the doctors at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang where Sujatha was later brought for treatment.

When he asked Dr Sakthiveloo which hospital she should be sent to, the latter said the best thing to do was to take her to a government hospital as drinking poison was a legal issue and most private hospitals would not accept such cases.

Vell Paari then agreed with his suggestion to take her the Klang hospital. After picking up Sujatha, he drove Dr Sakthiveloo and arrived at the hospital at about 7.40pm.

When DPP Geethan pointed out that the Hospital Kuala Lumpur was the nearest hospital to Sujatha’s home and it would have been quicker to send her there, Vell Paari said: “Yes, it would”.

DPP Geethan also asked why Vell Paari had not asked Dr Sakthiveloo to go directly to the hospital to save time, to which Vell Paari answered that the idea had not occurred to him as they were confused at that time.

The inquest before coroner Mohd Faizi Che Abu continues on Tuesday.