Two men have been charged with the murder of 24-year-old salesgirl Saraswathy Chan Chee Keong, who was discovered dead with her hands and legs bound last month.
The accused, K. Kaarthiek, 26, an information technology officer, and A. Hariprasanth, 23, a lorry driver, appeared at the Magistrate’s Court today before Magistrate Shahril Anuar Ahmad Mustapa. Both men, handcuffed in the dock, acknowledged they understood the charges.
According to court documents, the murder allegedly occurred between 6.18am on October 24 and 2.17am on October 25 at Jalan Orkid, near the Blue Water Estate roundabout in Seri Kembangan.
They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment of 30 to 40 years, and mandatory caning if the death sentence is not imposed.
No plea was recorded, as murder cases fall under High Court jurisdiction. The accused appeared distressed throughout the proceedings, with Kaarthiek wiping away tears.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Leong Hui requested a mention date for submission of post-mortem, DNA, and forensic reports, and the court fixed January 16 for the next mention.
Police previously confirmed that Saraswathy, a salesgirl who worked in Ampang and Bukit Bintang, had been reported missing by her family on October 25. She was last contacted after receiving a phone call asking her to collect a parcel outside her home in Taman Casterfield, Sungai Besi.
The body was found on October 29 when a passerby reported a naked woman with her hands and legs bound near the Blue Water Estate roundabout.
In total, five suspects have been arrested to assist with investigations, including the victim’s ex-boyfriend, her adoptive brother, her housemate, and two local men, with the latest arrest made on November 5.
