Indian-origin jailed and fined for assaulting Singapore police officer

Singapore: An Indian-origin man who punched and kicked a police officer during a raid was sentenced to a total of nine years and 18 months’ jail and fined SGD4,000 on Monday.

Nikhil M. Durgude, 25, had previously pleaded guilty to eight charges, including voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty, possessing cannabis and consuming methamphetamine, reported The Straits Times.

Fifteen other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Noting that Nikhil also hurled abusive insults at the police officer during the attack, district court Judge Jasvender Kaur said this showed his “utter disregard for authority”.

“Officers deserve to feel assured that they will be adequately protected by the law,” the judge added.

On November 5, 2020, three officers including Senior Staff Sergeant Chua Ming Cheng and Inspector Zheng Yiyang went to a unit at City Suites in Balestier during a police operation over a series of cheating cases.

They identified themselves as police to Nikhil and two others, Prakash Mathivanan, then 36, and Malani Naidu Prabhakar Naidu, then 33, in the living room.

The trio squatted and placed their hands on their heads as ordered, and began talking to one another.

After Senior Staff Sgt Chua instructed them to stop, Prakash got up and lunged at the officer, causing him to fall. Prakash then hit the officer in the face and upper body.

Insp Zheng drew his service revolver and pointed it at the sofa, which was in the general direction of Prakash and Nikhil, and commanded Prakash to stop attacking Senior Staff Sgt Chua.

However, Prakash turned on him and grabbed his hands, which were holding the gun.

Senior Staff Sgt Chua attempted to get up and assist Insp Zheng, but Nikhil leapt up and began punching and kicking him repeatedly. He fell again and Nikhil continued to assault and hurl insults at Senior Staff Sgt Chua as he lay on the floor.

A while later, two other officers entered the unit and Nikhil stopped his attack on Senior Staff Sgt Chua.

By this time, Senior Staff Sgt Chua was on the floor with a bloodied face.

The trio were arrested. Nikhil was taken to the Central Police Division headquarters, where his urine tested positive for methamphetamine.

“The accused attacked an officer who was attempting to intervene in a dangerous situation, effectively preventing Senior Staff Sgt Chua from assisting (Insp) Zheng,” said the prosecution.

“The accused shouting abusive words towards the victim during the attack indicates that the accused was motivated by some degree of malice,” the prosecution was quoted as saying in the court.

Prakash was shot in the abdomen during the struggle and was later taken to hospital.

He was sentenced to jail for three years and 10 months in August 2022 for theft, cheating and drug-related offences.

His other charges, including for voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty, are still pending.

For voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant, Nikhil could be jailed for up to seven years, caned, or fined.