Sedation case against Hindraf leader Uthayakumar to be heard from Sept. 28

Kuala Lumpur, Aug. 3 (ANI): A Malaysian Sessions Court will start hearing the sedition case against Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar from September 28.

Uthayakumar's lawyer N. Surendran applied for an adjournment of the sedition trial on the grounds that his client was still away in London seeking medical treatment for a "rare heart condition," The Star Online reports.

Judge Sabariah Othman had asked the lawyer to provide the exact date his client had left the country.

Surendran said he was told Uthayakumar left on July 25.

In 2007, Uthayakumar, 48, allegedly published a seditious letter addressed to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on a website.

He was said to have committed the offence at Menara Mutiara Bangsar in Jalan Liku between November 15, 2007 and December 8 that year.

His international passport was confiscated and a 50,000 ringgits bail was imposed.

Uthayakumar filed a revision application on May 18 to get his passport back so that he could seek medical treatment abroad for his heart condition, and to reduce his bail.

On July 10, the KL High Court revised the Sessions Court ruling, allowing Uthayakumar to get his passport back, and also lowered his bail from 50,000 to 10,000 ringgits.

On Monday, lead prosecutor DPP Noorin Badaruddin applied for a warrant of arrest to be issued against Uthayakumar and a show cause notice to his bailor.

Noorin said Uthayakumar was aware of the trial dates and had violated a High Court order to attend his case hearing after the release of his passport.

However, Surendran said that his client's passport was released unconditionally.

"The application for an arrest warrant is illogical as this is not a case where the accused had fled from the country and we do not know his whereabouts.

The court can query the accused at the next trial date if it is not satisfied with his absence. This is the first time that Uthayakumar has not attended his court case," he said. (ANI)