KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 20): The Shah Alam Sessions Court on Monday (Feb 20) allowed the government's application to forfeit RM3.4 million from over 500 customers' prepaid accounts with a telecommunications company believed to be used for illegal activities.

Judge Rozilah Salleh allowed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to forfeit RM3,417,981.66 belonging to 773 Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd prepaid accounts belonging to 533 customers.

It is understood that the RM3.4 million forfeited was from a total of RM4.25 million confiscated in 2020 and 2021, from 900 prepaid accounts belonging to 593 customers.

The confiscation came after the MACC's investigations — with the help of Digi — into the prepaid accounts, which were credited with suspiciously large sums of money.

The excessive credit balance was believed to be used for illegal activities, such as illegal gambling and prostitution.

A total of RM835,639.43 attached to 127 prepaid accounts was returned. The prepaid accounts belonged to 60 customers.

Deputy public prosecutors Allan Suman Pillai and Mohd Shahrom Idris represented the prosecutors on Monday, while Digi was represented by V Muraliharan, its senior legal counsel.

Muraliharan did not object to the application.

In the forfeiture application filed on Jan 31, Digi was the sole respondent. The application was made under Section 407 of the Criminal Procedure Code.