Lawyer M Ravi handed 4 charges after slapping woman at Hindu temple

SINGAPORE: Lawyer M Ravi has been handed four charges after he reportedly slapped a woman last Friday (Sept 15) at a Hindu temple.

Mr Ravi is also said to have used indecent language and shouted vulgarities during the incident at around noon on Sept 15 at Sri Mariamman Temple at South Bridge Road, The Straits Times reported.

The following day, the lawyer was handed the following charges: voluntarily causing hurt, disorderly behaviour in public and two charges under the Protection from Harassment Act.

During the incident, Mr Ravi is said to have also called another woman who was at the temple a prostitute, intending to cause her harassment, ST added.

But previous to that, he was reported to have used abusive words towards a man in Pagoda Street, shouting vulgarity in Tamil at him, also with the intent to cause harassment.

Earlier this year, Mr Ravi received a five-year suspension for making “baseless and grave” allegations against the Attorney-General, prosecutors and the Law Society.

He will be back in court on Sept 29, having been remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for a medical examination on Sept 16.

Two months ago, he is said to have slapped a man near Yio Chu Kang MRT station and has two other pending charges from that incident.

Mr Ravi could be fined up to S$1,000 and jailed for a month if convicted of disorderly behaviour in public. Repeat offenders face double the fine, up to six months’ jail, or both.

Anyone guilty of voluntarily causing hurt can be fined up to S$5,000, jailed for up to three years, or both jailed and fined.

The penalty for intending to cause harassment by using abusive words is up to $S5,000 fine, up to six months’ jail, or both, under the Protection from Harassment Act. /TISG