AN INDIAN man implicated in the theft Tassos Papadopoulos’ remains was “worried and afraid” when he asked the family of the former president for €100,000 to reveal the location of the body, witnesses told the Nicosia court yesterday.

Witnesses said Sarbjit Singh had contacted the family asking for the money to reveal where the body was located after it was stolen on December 11, 2009 – a day before the anniversary of Papadopoulos’ death.

The body was recovered three months later, buried in another grave in a cemetery not far from Deftera where it was stolen.

Convicted double murderer and rapist Antonis Prokopiou Kitas, his brother, Mamas Prokopiou, Singh have been charged in connection with the theft.

The motive behind the theft is still not clear, though it has been suggested that Kitas did it to ask for something in exchange for handing the body over later.

According to Melios Ioannou, who discovered the theft, Singh said he “was afraid for his life and he wanted to leave Cyprus.”

Ioannou who was a member of Papadopoulos’ guard for years told the court that the defendant did not tell them whom he was afraid of.

Ioannou said Singh had called him on March 6, telling him he knew where the body was and asked for the phone number of Papadopoulos’ wife, Fotini.

Ioannou said he did not take the information seriously because the family had received numerous similar tips in those three months.

The court heard Singh and Ioannou arranged a meeting on March 8 in Deftera but the Indian did not show up due to the chance presence of police in the area.

He called Ioannou after that, demanding Fotini Papadopoulos’ number.

“Don’t you want the president? It is okay with me, I am going to Syria tomorrow,” Singh said, according to Ioannou.

Ioannou told Papadopoulos’ step daughter, Maria Yiorkatzi and she agreed to contact Singh and pose as her mother, Fotini.

They arranged a meeting with Singh saying he wanted the money to leave the island because he was afraid.

“He appeared worried and afraid,” Yiorkadji said of their meeting. “We told him to tell us where the body was and then we would help him.”

Singh revealed the location – a grave at Strovolos cemetery – but gave the wrong date of death, April 4, 2008 instead of April 4, 2009 inscribed on the tombstone where the body was eventually found.

Singh contacted Yiorkadji the next day, asking for money, but with the help of the police who tracked down the location of his phone calls, he was arrested.

The court adjourned until August 25 with Singh remaining in custody until then.