A 30-year-old Indian-origin man, Mohanarajan Mohan, has been fined SGD7,000 (approximately INR 4.52 lakh) by a Singaporean court for verbally abusing hospital staff and law enforcement officers. The charges stem from an April 14 incident at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where Mohanarajan, intoxicated and belligerent, verbally assaulted a doctor, a security officer, and several police officers.
The court heard that Mohanarajan had been admitted to the hospital in an unconscious state. Upon regaining consciousness in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department, he demanded to be discharged, becoming verbally abusive toward the medical personnel when his demands were not met. As an auxiliary police officer attempted to calm him down, Mohanarajan insulted him as well.
According to State Prosecuting Officer A Majeed Yosuff, the situation escalated as Mohanarajan was escorted out of the A&E department. Despite being removed from the hospital premises, he continued to hurl vulgarities at the auxiliary officer. Once outside, responding police officers also became targets of his verbal attacks. Mohanarajan reportedly yelled at one officer, "By law, I am not inside the hospital, right? Can you guys leave me alone?" He continued to insult the additional officers who arrived later to assist.
The situation did not improve when Mohanarajan was placed in a police vehicle. Inside, he persisted with his verbal tirade and even kicked the vehicle’s interior, despite officers’ instructions to stop.
Representing himself in court, Mohanarajan explained that his behavior was a result of the immense stress and emotional turmoil he was experiencing due to a pending divorce. He expressed deep regret for his actions and emphasized that he was taking steps to improve his mental health. Mohanarajan mentioned that he had begun attending counseling sessions and was pursuing a diploma, in an effort to turn his life around.
"I am very remorseful for what I did, and I do not want to repeat these offenses because I respect Singapore's law and regulations," Mohanarajan told the court, pleading for leniency. He expressed a desire to move forward and put the incident behind him.
District Judge Sandra Looi took note of his efforts to rehabilitate and improve his situation, acknowledging his pursuit of education and personal growth. "I am heartened to hear that you are pursuing education and are determined to never be in a similar state as you are in today again," Judge Looi remarked.
However, the judge made it clear that such behavior, particularly toward public service workers, is unacceptable. "Our public service officers who serve our society deserve our utmost respect. That I am sure we all will agree," she emphasized during sentencing. Judge Looi imposed the fine, taking into account Mohanarajan's remorse and his attempts to seek help for his emotional struggles.
Despite the leniency shown, the case underscores the importance of respecting medical staff and law enforcement officers, especially in a professional setting like a hospital. Mohanarajan's case also serves as a reminder of the severe legal consequences that follow such behavior in Singapore, where harassment of public officials is treated with utmost seriousness.
Reference:
1. Desk, Digital. 2024. “Indian-Origin Man Fined ₹4,50,000 for Abusing Hospital Staff and Police in Singapore.” Republic World, September 19, 2024. https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/indian-origin-man-fined-rs-450000-for-abusing-hospital-staff-and-police-in-singapore.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Ankur Deka/MSM)