PETALING JAYA: Three men and one woman were charged at a magistrate court on Thursday with the kidnap and murder of a businesswoman, whose body was dumped at the Penang second bridge.
The four - Sunil Singh Jeganathen Daniel, 28, A. Malarvili (NOTE: woman), 23, C. Kavin Mukilan, 21, and S. Vivegkanathaa, 23 - were charged with kidnapping Balbir Kaur Tahil Singh, 60, from a construction site near Sunway Pyramid, in Bandar Sunway at 1.40pm on Feb 13.
They are alleged to have demanded a ransom of RM2mil.
The group were hit with a second charge of murdering Balbir Kaur by gagging her until she suffocated and dumping her body into the sea, off the second Penang Bridge at around 3.55am on Feb 14.
The alleged offence under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961 is punishable by death or a life in prison, while murder, under Section 302 of the Penal Code carries a mandatory death sentence.
As the penalty was death, no plea was recorded. However, the four awknoledged that they understood the charges.
It was learnt that Kavin Mukilan was employed as a scrap metal seller while none of the rest had jobs.
Deputy public prosecutor Saphirra Selamat acted for the prosecution, while Malarvili, Kavin Mukilan and Vivegkanathaa were represented by S. Prakash.
Sunil Singh was unrepresented.
Magistrate Ahmad Solihin Abd Wahid fixed April 14 for next mention.
It was previously reported that Balbir Kaur, who worked as a marble processing company's managing director, was abducted near Sunway Pyramid.
Her family was issued an RM2mil ransom, but did not meet the demand.
Balbir Kaur's body was discovered the day after she was reported missing, floating in Sungai Kerian near Kampung Sungai Udang in Nibong Tebal, Penang.
