Kuala Lumpur, Apr 20: The Malaysian Health Ministry has said that the ongoing Medical Council's inquiry on A. Kugan, who died while in police custody, will be carried out in a fair manner.

Health Ministry Director-General Dr Ismail Merican said the inquiry was independent and urged people not to speculate.

"Members of the inquiry are professional," he said yesterday after launching a health science symposium here.

Dr Ismail, who is the council's president, declined to comment on the proceedings, The Star reported.

On Friday, Kugan's parents met a six-man preliminary investigation committee, headed by council member Dr Megat Burhainuddin Megat Abdul Rahman.

The inquiry, which would continue on June 19, was called after the parents complained to the council, claiming that the first post-mortem was "improperly done."

Kugan, 22, was detained by police on January 15 this year for alleged car theft, but died five days later while in police custody.

An autopsy performed on January 21 by the head of Serdang Hospital forensic unit, Dr Abdul Karim Tajuddin, but the family then requested Universiti Malaya Medical Centre to conduct a second post-mortem, which was performed by Dr Prashant Samberkar on January 25.

Vell Paari, who is the chairman of the MIC Community Unity Committee, said they were puzzled as the two post mortem reports did not mention myocarditis as the possible cause of death.

"Kugan was in police custody for five days. We want to know whether he (Kugan) showed any symptoms which were suggestive of myocarditis," he asked? (ANI)