Non-practising lawyer M Ravi convicted of shoving former colleague
Non-practising lawyer M Ravi was convicted on Monday (Nov 27) of breaking into his former firm and injuring his ex-colleagues when symptoms of his bipolar disorder manifested, and could be made to undergo treatment instead of being punished. Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY
SINGAPORE — Non-practising lawyer M Ravi was convicted on Monday (Nov 27) of breaking into his former firm and injuring his ex-colleagues when symptoms of his bipolar disorder manifested, and could be made to undergo treatment instead of being punished.
District Judge Brenda Tan sent Ravi, 48, to be assessed for suitability for a mandatory treatment order, a community-based sentencing option where offenders undergo mental health treatment in lieu of jail.
After he was convicted, Ravi rose to offer a public apology to Mrs Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss and Mr Nakoorsha Abdul Kadir, whom he had lashed out at.
Calling his actions “out of character”, Ravi told the court: “I can’t begin to image the level of distress I have caused them ... (and) I would like to offer my sincere apology to them.”
Ravi committed the offences after his employment with law firm Eugene Thuraisingam LLP — as head of knowledge management and strategic alliance — was terminated in June this year, months after he was suspended from practice because of four instances of misconduct induced by his mental condition.
He was told to vacate his office in People’s Park Centre by June 16 this year, but Ravi broke in at least three times the same month with a friend. On all these occasions, he broadcast himself on Facebook Live inside the office.
On Aug 8, Ravi went to the firm’s main office at The Adelphi, accompanied by three individuals.
Mr Nakoorsha approached him to ask what he wanted, but he ignored the questions and went on a tirade about “about corruption and about serving papers on the firm”, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Ong.
When they saw Mrs Chong-Aruldoss, Ravi stopped her, and questioned her aggressively. A video clip of the encounter that was shown in court showed Ravi pushing Mrs Chong-Aruldoss, causing her to stumble backwards and fall onto the right side of her body — doctors said she suffered a 2cm by 2cm bruise around her hip region.
When Mr Nakoorsha came out to intervene after hearing the commotion, Ravi started “shouted incoherently” at him, before flinging Mrs Chong-Aruldoss’ handbag at him, striking his face.
In court on Monday, defence lawyer Shashi Nathan said his client was not prone to “violent tendencies”, but had acted the way he did because of his bipolar disorder, which he was diagnosed with in 2006.
Being suspended by the High Court from practising for two years in October last year was the “biggest blow” to Ravi, and he regrets the way he had acted, Mr Nathan added.
Since then, Ravi has made “tremendous improvement” in his mental health by seeking treatment and “removing unhelpful persons from his life”, and hopes to return to practise law, Mr Nathan said.
Ravi returns to court on Jan 5 next year.
