TEMPERS flared in court on Wednesday as Mr Jairaj Kumar Jeyabal, the 27-year-old son of the woman at the centre of the Novena Church 'forced exorcism' lawsuit, locked horns with a defence lawyer who accused him and his family members of telling 'a pack of lies'.

Lawyer Anthony Lee, acting for three defendants, found it hard to believe that Mr Jeyabal, a trainee teacher, with all his years of education, had never heard the term 'exorcism' before the August 2004 incident at the church.

What does education have to do with the word 'exorcism', Mr Jeyabal asked.

The heated exchange set the tone for the rest of Mr Lee's cross-examination of Mr Jeyabal, whose snappy comebacks prompted the lawyer to repeatedly remind him to stop arguing.

'Let me lay down the rules. I ask the questions. You are not to be argumentative,' Mr Lee said at one point.

Mr Jeyabal's mother, Madam Amutha Valli Krishnan, has sued the Redemptorist Order that runs the church, two priests and six churchgoers, seeking compensation for the ordeal that so traumatised her that she can't lead a normal life.

Earlier in the day, defence lawyer Darrell Low said it was incredible how Mr Jeyabal, as Madam Valli's son who knows her well, never saw the need to speak to her doctors to get sedatives after the Aug 10 incident which allegedly left her traumatised.

His comeback: It is not his style.

'I have a different way of showing concern,' he retorted.

Justice Lee Seiu Kin also had some questions for Mr Jeyabal.

He asked the witness where and when he tried to call his father while Madam Valli was allegedly forced into the exorcism.

He also wondered why Mr Jeyabal had not followed his sister, Subashini, and mother into the toilet after the alleged ritual.

On Tuesday, Mr Jeyabal had described the 'exorcism' as 'a wrestling match' and called the priests 'thugs' and 'gangsters'.

The hearing continues on Thursday, when Madam Valli's taxi-driver husband, Mr Suppiah Jeyabal, takes the stand.

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