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KUALA LUMPUR (The Star): Private investigator P. Balasubramaniam is a free man and can remain overseas as he has not been charged with any crime, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

Syed Hamid said that Balasubra–maniam could be extradited if he refused to return to face a charge.

He said it was up to the Attorney-General’s Chambers to decide whether there was a case against Balasubra–maniam, who is believed to be in Thailand.

“The police have completed their investigations. If the A-G’s Chamber decides there is a case and they want to charge him, then the police would seek his extradition.

“Now, he is a free agent and it is up to him if he wants to come back,” he told reporters at the Blogger’s Buff 2008 conference here.

On Thursday, Syed Hamid told Parliament that police went to Bangkok in July to record Balasubra–maniam’s statement on his two contradictory statutory declarations on the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, which were made less than 24 hours apart.

On the police’s responsibility to ensure Balasubramaniam’s safety, Syed Hamid said it would be a human rights issue if Balasubramaniam was prevented from going overseas when there was no charge against him.

Balasubramaniam, who was hired by a then accused Abdul Razak Baginda to monitor the whereabouts of Altan–tuya when she was in Kuala Lumpur, is also being sought as a key witness by one of the accused in the Altantuya trial.

Razak, a political analyst, has since been acquitted of the charge of abetment in the murder after having spent 22 months in prison.

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