KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has dismissed an application by former Umno leader Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan (pic) to cross-examine businessman Low Taek Jho in his suit seeking for the return of jewellery worth US$27.3mil (RM115mil) to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Lawyer Damien Chan told reporters on Wednesday (May 16) that Justice Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim rejected the application on the grounds that there was no merit in the application.

Chan - who is acting for the former Batu Kawan Umno vice-chief - said that Justice Ahmad Zaidi dismissed the application with no costs.

"The judge agreed with the submission by Low's counsel Rishwant Singh and later informed us that there is no need to cross-examine Low at this stage," he added.

"The court later set tomorrow (May 17) to proceed with the hearing of an application to strike out the suit by three defendants," said Chan after meeting Justice Ahmad Zaidi in chambers on Wednesday (May 16).

The defendants named in Khairuddin's suit are former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Low and 1MDB.

In the statement of claim filed on Aug 16, Khairuddin had named Rosmah, Low and 1MDB as the first, second and third defendants respectively.

Khairuddin claimed that between June 2013 and March 2014, Low had acted through an agent to purchased jewellery from monies allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB.

He alleged that the jewellery — one pink diamond valued at US$23mil (RM96.77mil) and an accompanying necklace valued at US$4.3mil (RM18.08mil) — was received as a gift by the first defendant around March 2014.

The plaintiff is seeking an order directing the first defendant to return the jewellery to the third defendant; and an order directing the second defendant to pay the third defendant all sums of money allegedly misappropriated.