KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — A 26-year-old man pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court today to voluntarily causing hurt to a woman bank manager in robbing her in an MRT lift here on February 14.

G.Thinathayaalan, an air-conditioner serviceman, claimed trial to committing the offence on Lee Meei Shan, 48, in the lift at the Taman Mutiara, Cheras, MRT station at 6.45am on that day.

In the charge read out to him before Judge Mahyon Talib, Thinathayaalan is accused of having robbed Lee of her identity card, driving licence, two bank ATM cards, two credit cards and RM400 while voluntarily causing hurt to her.

The court did not set bail and fixed March 15 for the mention of the case and for Thinathayaalan, who was clad in a dark blue T-shirt and knee-length trousers, to engage a lawyer.

DPP N. Joy Jothi did not propose bail, saying the accused had acted cruelly and that the incident had gained much public attention after a video clip went viral on social media.

Thinathayaalan did not ask for bail.

He was also charged in two other sessions courts with robbery and causing hurt.

Before Judge Emilia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid, he was charged with the armed robbery of a Bangladeshi national at a convenience store 15 minutes before the robbery at the MRT station lift.

He is accused of having robbed Hossain Md Mobarok of eight packets of cigarettes at the KK Mart in Taman Taynton View, Cheras, at 6.30am on February 14.

DPP Siti Aisyah Ahmad did not propose bail and the accused did not ask for bail as well.

The court fixed March 18 for the mention of the case.

Thinathayaalan also pleaded not guilty before Judge Rohatul Akmar Abdullah to a charge of causing hurt to an Indonesian cleaner, Miftahul Jannah, 29, and robbing her of a mobile phone and RM1,800.

He is accused of having commited the offence at a rented room in Jalan Manis, Taman Segar, Cheras, at 6.40 am on February 10.

DPP Kamarul Aris Kamaluddin did not propose bail and Thinathayaalan did not ask for one.

The court fixed April 1 for the mention of the case. — Bernama