Court of Appeal Declines Indira Gandhi’s Fresh Evidence Application, Says It Lacks Legal Weight
PUTRAJAYA: Court of Appeal of Malaysia has rejected an attempt by M. Indira Gandhi to introduce new evidence in her ongoing civil suit against the Inspector-General of Police and other authorities.
The three-judge panel, led by Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, ruled that the proposed material did not satisfy the legal criteria required for admission at the appellate stage.
Evidence Classified as Post-Trial Development
The application centred on claims that Indira’s former husband, Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, had accessed government assistance schemes such as BUDI95 and MyKasih SARA.
However, the court found that the evidence related to developments that occurred after the High Court proceedings had concluded, categorising it as post-trial evidence.
Justice Mohamed Zaini noted that such evidence, even if accepted as accurate, would not affect the factual findings or legal reasoning underpinning the earlier decision.
No Impact on Original Findings
While acknowledging that the evidence was not available during the trial, the court held that this alone was insufficient to justify its inclusion.
The panel concluded that the material neither contradicted the High Court’s findings nor undermined the basis of its judgment, leading to the dismissal of the application without costs.
The court has fixed April 24 for case management to set a date for the decision on the main appeal.
Ongoing Legal Battle Over Enforcement Issues
Indira’s lawsuit seeks to hold the IGP, the Royal Malaysia Police, the Home Ministry and the government accountable for allegedly failing to enforce court orders against her former husband.
She is seeking declarations related to alleged nonfeasance in public office, arguing that authorities did not execute a committal order issued by the Ipoh High Court.
The case stems from the abduction of her daughter, Prasana Diksa, by Muhammad Riduan when the child was still an infant.
The long-running dispute continues to attract attention due to its implications for legal enforcement, public accountability, and issues surrounding religious conversion and custody rights.
-wilayah.com.my
