M Kula Segaran, who is also Ipoh Barat MP, confirmed that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had filed for an inquest into Ganapathy’s death at the coroner’s court in Shah Alam.

However, he said it was not known when the inquest itself would be held.

According to Kula, the coroner’s court held a case management today where deputy public prosecutor Sean Dudley forwarded a potential witness list of 80 people.

“After quick deliberation with Shah Alam sessions court judge Rasyihah Ghazali, it was decided that the number of witnesses be narrowed down to about 25. The next case management would be held on March 3.

“We welcome the decision by the AG to initiate a coroner’s inquest into this matter at the Shah Alam sessions court pursuant to Section 339 of the Criminal Procedure Code,” he said in a statement today.

Ganapathy was arrested by police on Feb 24 last year and was later warded at Hospital Selayang. He died at the hospital on April 18 last year, just over a month after he had been warded.

Kula, who with V Vemal Arasan represent Ganapathy’s widow, Rajamalar, had said at the time that the pathologist confirmed he died as a result of injuries on his legs and shoulders while in police custody at the Gombak district police station (IPD).

However, the then Gombak police chief Arifai Tarawe was reported to have denied there being any evidence that Ganapathy was beaten while in police custody.

In his statement, Kula also took the opportunity to voice his displeasure over the never-ending problem of custodial deaths in the country.

“It is saddening to note that just one month after Ganapathy’s death, another detainee, S Sivabalan died in the same police station. Last week another unnamed Malay male detainee died in the same police station and there have been 10 deaths in police custody in Malaysia so far this year,” he said.

“This number is alarming and proactive measures need to be taken immediately for this abuse to stop. Does the IGP (inspector-general of police) or the home minister have the willpower to address this issue?”