Request by Najib, Rosmah to quash RM676mil suit to be heard on April 4

KUALA LUMPUR: The applications by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and three others to strike out the RM676mil suit by carpet businessman J.R. Deepak Jaikishan will be heard on April 4.

Lawyer Irzan Iswat Mohd Noor, representing Deepak, said the hearing would be before High Court judge Datuk Azimah Omar.

He said Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, filed the application on Jan 7, while the other two defendants Boustead Holdings BHd and its subsidiary, Bakti Wira Development Sdn Bhd filed theirs on Dec 17.

“Among the grounds given by all the defendants to strike out the suit was that they were not involved in the alleged conspiracy,” he said after the case management before deputy registrar Farah Shuhada Ramli here yesterday.

On Oct 12, Deepak, 46, filed the suit claiming that he had suffered losses due to conspiracy, fraud and undue influence by the defendants in a property deal that allegedly caused his company to suffer huge losses.

Deepak claimed that as a director and majority shareholder of Astacanggih Sdn Bhd, he had signed a land deal with the direc- tor and majority shareholder of Awan Megah (M) Sdn Bhd, Raja Ropiaah Raja Abdullah, over three pieces of land, involving 181.9ha in Mukim Kapar, Klang and Mukim Bukit Raja, in the Petaling district.

He claimed that a deposit payment of RM13mil had been made by Astacanggih to Awan Megah and a land bond for RM72.5mil from Kuwait Finance House (M) Bhd was submitted to the government.

However, he claimed Awan Megah refused to produce the original land titles for transfer to Astacanggih.

Deepak claimed that as a result of the conspiracy and interference from Najib and Rosmah, who were named the first and second defendants, he was forced to sell 80% (16 million units) of his shares in Astacanggih to Boustead Holdings through Wira development.

He is seeking RM600mil in general damages, RM50mil in exemplary damages and RM26mil in aggravated damages.

Lawyer David Mathews represented Najib and Rosmah, while Boustead Holdings and Bakti Wira Development were represented by lawyer Kenny Chan.