Indian Origin Singaporean Man Jailed For 14-Weeks For Intentionally Coughing On A Police Officer

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• A district judge in Singapore recently punished a man by putting him behind bars for 14 weeks.
• The person identified as Devraj Tamil Selvan, a 29-year-old man having Indian origin was jailed for purposely coughing on a police officer.
• The man is a native of Singapore and has been booked for 10 other charges before being sentenced to 14 weeks of jail term.

BACKGROUND DETAILS

• On 13th September 2020 amid covid restrictions in the country police received a call regarding domestic violence complaint.
• The police received a complaint from the caller asking for assistance and informed the cops that her sister-in-law's boyfriend is using violence in her flat.
• Thereby 3 police officers reached the scene where Devraj slapped his girlfriend on her face in the presence of the police officers.
• This led to his immediate arrest.

FURTHER DETAILS

• Devraj was escorted to the police car when he used force to push a police officer trying to resist.
• While inside the police car he alleged that he could not breathe and so the police officer called an ambulance and admitted him to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.
• After reaching the department of accident and emergency he intentionally coughed on a police officer even after several warnings given by the hospital staff and police officers not to remove the mask.
• Not only that, but he also abused the police officers by using slang language and cuss words in the Singaporean language and said ‘take out the handcuffs you stupid, idiot.’

COURT VERDICT

• He was proved guilty of 4 charges including the use of criminal force, using abusive words against police officers. He shall face 4 years of jail term/fine / both for using criminal force against police officers.
• For coughing and abusing a public servant he was sentenced to 14 weeks in jail.
• District Judge Ng Cheng Thiam charged him for 10 other offences before giving him 14-week detention.
• Also as the lawyer representing Devraj mentioned that he has been taking care of his ailing mother so the court postponed the jail term which would begin from 26th April so that he could make arrangements for his mother.

Do you think even in India such people should be jailed for purposely coughing on police or health workers? Yes or No Comment below.