Kuala lumpur: Eleven men were brought before the Sessions Court here today on charges of being members of an organised crime syndicate known as "Vinod Gang."
According to BERNAMA News Agency, no plea was recorded after the charges were read before Judge Husna Dzulkifly, as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court. All 11 are accused of being members of the syndicate in Bandar Rimbayu, Telok Panglima Garang, between April 2024 and June 27, 2026, under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code.
The individuals charged include Muhammad Vinod Saktivel, 30, who is believed to be the group's leader, as well as M Puvaneswaran, 34; Lawrence Alfred, 34; G Sanggeethan, 31; M Naviedran, 29; and S Sri Tharan, 27; M Surenthar, 27; N A N Viknesvaran, 27; J M Kishaan, 24; R Shervinkumar, 23; and T Saarvin, 21. The prosecution was represented by deputy public prosecutors Chow Siang Kong and Muhammad Syahrezal Mohd Shukri, while the accused were defended by lawyers T Mishant and S Devan.
The court has set September 14 for the next mention of the case. Earlier, the accused arrived at the court compound around 9 am under heavy security from the Royal Malaysia Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID). They had been arrested on June 23 and 24 through Ops Rapido, a joint operation led by Bukit Aman CID in collaboration with its Selangor counterpart.
In a statement yesterday, Bukit Aman CID director Datuk M Kumar indicated that the group is believed to have been active since 2023, engaging in activities such as gang robberies, attempted murder, armed rioting, and causing injury with weapons. The group's modus operandi reportedly involved committing armed robberies using machetes or sharp weapons, specifically targeting residential premises for material profit, power or influence.
The arrest of these 11 individuals has resulted in the resolution of 21 cases and the disruption of one active armed gang robbery syndicate in Selangor. Police efforts continue to track down five other individuals believed to be members of the group, who are still at large.