SUNGAI PETANI, Oct 22 — Nine men were charged in the Sessions Court here today with being members of an organised crime group known as the ‘Geng Suria’.

They are Thayalan, 28; A. Tana Balan, 30; Muhamad Rizwan Abd Jalil, 28; G. Sritharan, 39; B. Saranraj, 38; A. Simon, 34; G. Suria Prasad (alleged to be the gang leader), 30; A. Suresh, 52; and Kavines, 31.

No pleas were recorded after the charges were read out in Tamil before Judges Nabisha Ibrahim and Najwa Che Mat in separate courtrooms, as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

The nine men are charged with being members of the organised crime group at an unnumbered house on Jalan Sekerat, Pekan Lama, here, between December 2024 and April this year.

The charge, framed under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code, provides imprisonment of up to 20 years upon conviction.

The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutors Yazid Mustaqim Roslan and Mohd Fakhrurrazi Ahmad Salim.

Lawyer S. Sagthiyaraj represented Saranraj and Thayalan, while lawyer Mohammad Naim Kamaruddin represented Sritharan, Simon, and Tana Balan.

The remaining four accused were unrepresented.

The court denied bail to all nine accused and set Nov 17 for mention. — Bernama