KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 — Ten men including one with the title ‘Datuk’ pleaded not guilty in the High Court, here, today to the charge of being members of an organised crime gang between January, 2015 and August, 2016. 

The 10 are Datuk K.Elumalai, 43, K.Puvendran, 29, M.Kishok Kumar, 26, R.Ganabathy, 31, R.Shamuga Nathan, 38, S.Jeeva, 27, S.Rajandran, 40, M.Suresh, 40, Law Koon Ping, 44, and S.Elango, 36.

They were charged with being members of organised crime group, ‘Gang 21 Japan’, in  Wilayah Iskandar, Johor Baru, between Jan 18, Jan 2015 and Aug 19, 2016. The charge under Section 130V (1) of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to 20 years, if found guilty.

No bail was offered by deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P.Kunyalam as the case comes under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012.

Elumalai and Puvendran were represented by lawyer Tania Scevetti who appeared on behalf of counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Suresh and Jeeva by lawyer R.K. Menon, Shamuga Nathan and Ganabathy by lawyer Mohd Hazrin Alif Wahab, Law and Rajandran by lawyer Anuar Raof, and Elango by lawyer Lily Chuah.

Judge Datuk Azman Abdullah set April 14 for case mention. — Bernama