High Court orders RM1.1m payout to family of businessman who died in 2018 while in police custody

High Court orders RM1.1m payout to family of businessman who died in 2018 while in police custody



Judge Noor Hayati Mat awarded widow V. Shanti, the wife of S. Thanabalan, and her father P. Vathian RM500,000 in general damages for negligence, RM200,000 in aggravated damages including pain and suffering, RM30,000 for loss of life, RM414,000 in dependency claims, and RM10,000 in special damages to cover funeral expenses. — Reuters pic

Tuesday, 09 Dec 2025 9:18 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — The Shah Alam High Court yesterday ordered the police and the government to pay RM1.1 million in compensation to the family of a businessman who died in police custody in 2018.

Judge Noor Hayati Mat awarded widow V. Shanti, the wife of S. Thanabalan, and her father P. Vathian RM500,000 in general damages for negligence, RM200,000 in aggravated damages including pain and suffering, RM30,000 for loss of life, RM414,000 in dependency claims, and RM10,000 in special damages to cover funeral expenses, Bernama reported.

The court also ordered the government to pay interest at five per cent per annum from the date Thanabalan was found dead on April 17, 2018, until the compensation is fully settled.

Judge Noor Hayati further awarded RM7,000 in costs to the plaintiffs. The decision was delivered via Zoom.


Lawyer M. Visvanathan, who represented the family, confirmed the ruling when contacted.

On March 12, 2024, the Federal Court dismissed the police and the government’s application for leave to appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision, which found both parties negligent over Thanabalan’s death in police custody.

On October 30, 2023, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of Shanti and Vathian, finding the Inspector-General of Police and the government negligent for failing to send Thanabalan to hospital promptly.


The Court of Appeal then remitted the case to the Shah Alam High Court for an assessment of damages payable to the family.

Thanabalan had been detained on March 29, 2018, under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) for alleged involvement in organised crime.

At about 8.30pm on April 17, 2018, he collapsed in the lock-up at the Shah Alam District Police Headquarters and was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Shanti, 45, and Vathian, 75, filed the suit in 2021 against 11 police officers, the Inspector-General of Police and the government, citing negligence and misfeasance in public office.

Shanti also filed the suit on behalf of her two children and her late husband’s estate.

Vathian is a joint administrator of the estate.

They sought damages including for loss of life, aggravated damages, exemplary damages, general damages, and funeral expenses.

On April 4, 2022, the Shah Alam High Court dismissed the suit, but the Court of Appeal later overturned the decision and found the police and the government negligent in Thanabalan’s death, prompting the police and the government to seek leave to appeal to the Federal Court.