IPOH: The High Court here has give the police another two months to obtain crucial information concerning M. Indira Gandhi’s ex-husband Muhammad Riduan Abdullah who absconded with her youngest daughter Prasana Diksa, 17 years ago.
Justice Datuk Norsharidah Awang set June 25 as the next judicial monitoring hearing date.
“Make sure there are answers to the issues raised by then,” she said Monday (April 6)
The hearing, which involved detailed examination of documentary evidence and agency responses, is part of ongoing judicial monitoring proceedings of the recovery efforts.
Prasana will turn 18 on Wednesday (April 8).
Earlier, Federal Counsel Safiyyah Omar told the court that investigations including forensic analysis of CCTV footage, and financial transactions of Muhammad Riduan, known as K. Pathmanathan prior to his conversion had been carried out.
She said CCTV recordings of allegations of Muhammad Riduan filling petrol were found to be of limited evidential value, as key details, including facial images, vehicle registration numbers and other identifying features could not be clearly extracted.
She confirmed that the police had checked with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) after reports of transactions, but EPF said the requested information involves protected member data that cannot be disclosed without consent due to confidentiality obligations.
“Also no medical records or treatment reports linked to the individual were found in Kelantan, based on information obtained from the state Health department,” she said.
Indira’s lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan told the court that information submitted by the police in a recent affidavit appears inconsistent with earlier filings, raising questions over the accuracy of refuelling records and the effectiveness of the search efforts over the past 17 years.
He said the latest affidavit only detailed a single refuelling incident on Oct 24, 2025, whereas earlier affidavits cited multiple dates. Rajesh also noted discrepancies in the timing, pointing out that earlier records showed the refuelling at 12.57pm, while the latest affidavit included an image captured at 1.34pm.
“It is unreasonable for the police to claim they were unable to obtain information concerning the EPF records.
“The individual in question is under the police wanted list but has been been living a normal daily life, owning two cars, receiving traffic summonses, making EPF withdrawals, appeared to have used the RM100 Sara aid and Budi95 targeted fuel subsidy.
“There is no restrictions or pressure from the police, and we are confident that the police have not been searching for him,” he added.
Asst Supt Yap Siew Cheng, from the Perak police headquarters’ Criminal Investigation Department told the court that the EPF financial records sought could not be obtained, as the agency cited statutory limitations in releasing the information.
She said despite formal requests accompanied by a court order, EPF maintained that such information could not be released to third parties, including law enforcement, without the consent of the account holder.
She said although nine instances of fuel purchases were identified across various petrol stations, only one transaction record, dated Oct 24, 2025, was supported with available data.
“Checks conducted at relevant premises showed that most CCTV records had already been automatically deleted after a retention period of between two weeks and one month, leaving only one station with retrievable footage.
“Applications have been made to the Finance Ministry for transaction records but responses had yet to be received at the time of the hearing.
“Two vehicles were registered under the his name, but both had expired road tax,” she said.
When met outside the court, Indira expressed deep disappointment, saying she had hoped to at least meet her daughter after years of separation.
She said she only wanted to see and embrace her child, whom she has not met since she was an infant.
“My daughter is turning 18, my legal rights as a mother would be significantly limited," she added, describing the situation as a grave injustice after 17 years of waiting.
In 2009, Riduan unilaterally converted his three children to Islam and obtained custody from the Syariah Court.
In 2010, the Ipoh High Court granted full custody of Prasana Diksa to Indira Gandhi, and in 2016, the Federal Court affirmed a High Court mandamus order to apprehend Riduan and return the girl to her mother.
The apex court ruled in 2018 that the unilateral conversion was null and void. Prasana was 11 months old when she was separated from her mother.
