Ex-Transport Minister S Iswaran is back in Singapore; he handed over his passport

SINGAPORE: In Singapore news today, former Transport Minister S Iswaran has returned to the country, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said on Wednesday (March 20). Mr Iswaran travelled to Australia to help his son settle in a university in Melbourne.

The former minister is facing 27 charges of “obtaining gratification as a public servant,” corruption, and obstructing justice. However, the Courts permitted him to travel last month, given certain conditions, including a cash bail of S$500,000.

He was also required to give the investigation officer his itinerary and address in Australia, stay contactable, and hand in his travel documents within 24 hours of his return.

Mr Iswaran was supposed to have returned from Australia on March 3 but was given a 16-day extension until March 19 because he had fallen ill while abroad.

The AGC told local journalists on March 20 that Mr Iswaran had returned to Singapore and surrendered his passport.

The former Transport Minister was supposed to have a criminal case disclosure conference (CCDC) in the High Court on March 19, but it has been adjourned to April 2, CNA reported.

In a CCDC, both sides in a given case disclose information, including evidence, to facilitate the trial process.

The charges against Mr Iswaran

On Jan 18, 2024, the former minister was slapped with 27 charges. He has maintained his innocence and says that he will clear his name.

Having been placed on leave for the second half of 2023, Mr Iswaran also told Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a letter of his decision to return the salary and MP allowance during that time since he had been unable to fulfil his duties.

He added that he would not endeavour to reverse this decision should he be acquitted.

He is currently out on S$800,000 bail.

The Strait Times added on Feb 8 that Mr Navin Shanmugaraj Thevar, one of the lawyers representing Mr Iswaran, has asked for an early trial for him so that “evidence can be fully aired and the matter decided as soon as possible”.

The former minister faces two charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, one charge of obstruction of justice, and 24 charges of obtaining a valuable thing as a public servant related to having allegedly accepted from billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng “valuable things” worth more than S$384,000 between November 2015 and December 2022. /TISG

Read also: Tan See Leng replaces S Iswaran as cabinet rep for Eurasian community