Missing Indian millionaire's second wife plays recording of demand for ransom

Klang (Malaysia), Sept.24 (ANI): S. Usharani, the second wife of Indian millionaire A. Muthuraja, has produced a recorded telephone conversation which she had with a man who demanded a RM1mil ransom from her to ensure his safety. She also vowed to bring to justice those responsible for his death.

The recording of the conversation between herself and the man identified as "ASP Suresh" from Bukit Aman was played to the press yesterday, The Star reports.

She lodged a police report at Kuala Langat and will hand over the evidence to the Inspector-General of Police today.

Muthuraja's mother claims her son wanted to "escape" from Usharani, who was pressuring him with suicide threats;

His younger brother, Dr. Kasi Viswanathan, also accused Usharani of giving authorities wrong information and claims she is being "instigated" by another businessman;

"The passport that she's showing the police and the media has expired. There were four expired passports attached to his current one. The current passport is missing and it must have been with him when he disappeared," said Dr Kasi, who will arrive in Malaysia today to speak to the authorities.

"I knew my brother liked to stay in Bukit Bintang due to the good choice of hotels there. I went to 11 hotels before finally locating my brother's luggage when I was there in March," he said.

He said Usharani was creating a ruckus because she was worried about herself now that Muthuraja was missing and wanted to establish her status as his wife.

"She has no legal link to him and even in his passport it's stated that Ramalakshmi is his spouse. Her only trump card now is the child she had with my brother," he said.

He also alleged that an Indian businessman based in Chennai was the one behind Usharani's current actions.

"This businessman, who is instigating her obtained about RM40,000 from me for information about my brother and he put me in touch with a man called Elil to whom we paid another RM80,000," he said.

The remand for five suspects, believed to be involved in the murder, has been extended for a week. (ANI)