The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has received media queries relating to the transfer of custody of Mohan S/O Rajangam (Mohan) to the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) in 2015. As there are widespread, erroneous assumptions on what happened in this case, SPF has decided that it is necessary in the public interest to make the following clarifications.
From January 2015, RMP shared with SPF information concerning members of a Malaysian organised crime gang. Through follow-up investigations, it was established that Mohan was in regular contact with these Malaysian gang members. RMP and SPF continued to monitor the persons involved and information was shared between the two police forces.
On 21 March 2015, RMP informed SPF that its officers had engaged in a shootout with members of the gang Mohan was associated with, leading to the death of two gang members, one of whom was known to be in contact with Mohan. Following this, RMP initiated an operation against members of this gang. Three persons, including a senior gang leader, were arrested by RMP in a residential unit in Johor Bahru. That unit was rented by Mohan. RMP sought the assistance of SPF to trace and arrest Mohan on an urgent basis as Mohan was believed to be involved in the gang’s drug activities and harbouring members of this gang.
SPF was concerned about Mohan’s links to the gang and involvement in violence, drugs and firearms. SPF decided to arrest Mohan on suspicion of his involvement in drug and gang-related offences. Mohan was informed of the suspected offences against him at the point of arrest. His residence in Singapore was searched in accordance with the investigative powers for an arrestable offence provided under Section 24 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
On 23 March 2015, RMP furnished SPF with a Warrant of Arrest issued by a Malaysian Court against Mohan for an offence of murder. RMP’s investigations had linked the gang to a murder reported on 2 March 2015 in Georgetown, Penang. RMP was conducting investigations against Mohan for his possible involvement in the murder.
The Malaysian Warrant of Arrest was endorsed by a Magistrate in Singapore pursuant to Section 121 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), and was executed on the same day. Mohan was produced before a Magistrate in the State Courts in Singapore, who then directed that he be transferred to the Malaysian Court. SPF transferred custody of Mohan to RMP on 23 March 2015.
Following RMP’s investigation into the case, RMP decided to take no further action against Mohan. He was released by RMP on 15 July 2015.
The transfer of Mohan’s custody to the Malaysian authorities was done in accordance with the legal framework in our legislation (Section 121 of the CPC). This is a longstanding reciprocal arrangement between Singapore and Malaysia to mutually recognise and execute Warrants of Arrests within our respective jurisdictions. This arrangement has enabled Singapore’s law enforcement authorities to secure the return of many criminals who had fled to Malaysia after committing offences in Singapore.
Between 2016 and 2019, Singapore sought assistance from the Malaysian law enforcement authorities to arrest more than 55 fugitives under the Section 121 CPC reciprocal arrangement, all of which were met. The fugitives were involved in serious crimes such as murder, housebreaking, and commercial crimes that had caused substantial financial losses amounting to more than S$120 million. Reciprocally, Singapore law enforcement authorities arrested and transferred custody to Malaysian authorities, more than 25 fugitives in Singapore wanted by the Malaysians during this period. One of the cases where the RMP had assisted the SPF was the arrest in 2004 of a Malaysian national, Took Leng How, who had fled Singapore during investigations into the murder of an 8 year-old girl Huang Na whose body was found at Telok Blangah Hill Park.
From the time of his arrest on 21 March 2015 until his production in the Singapore State Courts on 23 March 2015, Mohan was detained for a period not exceeding 48 hours as prescribed by Section 68 of the CPC.
Contrary to Mohan’s allegation that his family was not informed of his arrest and whereabouts, Mohan’s wife, mother and sister were present during the search of his residence on 21 March 2015. In addition, SPF had contacted Mohan’s brother on 23 March 2015, the same day that Mohan’s custody was transferred to RMP, and had provided his brother with the contact details of the RMP investigation officer.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
17 January 2020 @ 12:30 PM