21-year-old Pushparaj Kapil, a Sri Lankan national, was sentenced to eight months’ jail on Apr. 28 for having in possession a false Singapore passport and a forged Singapore identity card.

Another Sri Lankan national, 32-year-old Ramachandran Kriysso Prasshad, was also sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment on June 4 for abetting Kapil to be in possession of these forged documents.

Obtained forged documents in Malaysia

According to an Immigration & Checkpoints Authority news release, investigations revealed that Kapil wanted to seek asylum in Canada.

Prasshad had agreed to facilitate Kapil’s journey to Canada.

Prasshad got acquainted with a Malaysian man, known as “Muhammad”, and obtained these counterfeit documents from “Muhammad’s” associate in Kuala Lumpur in January.

On Feb. 28, 2020, both Kapil and Prasshad took a bus from Kuala Lumpur with the intention to travel to Singapore to catch a direct flight to Laos.

Before they left Kuala Lumpur, Prasshad gave Kapil a pouch with the counterfeit documents.

Discovered by ICA officers

At Tuas Checkpoint on Feb. 29, 2020, Kapil presented his rightful Sri Lankan passport to an ICA officer for immigration clearance.

The officer sensed something was amiss, and referred them to the duty office for further assessment.

At the duty office, ICA officers conducted a search on Kapil’s and Prasshad’s bags and immediately arrested both men after finding the counterfeit documents in Kapil’s possession.

The identity card and the biodata page of the Singapore passport had Kapil’s name and photograph. However, the rest of the details did not belong to him.

Anyone who knowingly has possession of a false Singapore passport or a forged identity card shall be guilty of an offence.

If convicted, he or she may be sentenced to a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to both.

For abetting such an offence, a person may be sentenced with the same punishment.

Top photo credit: Images courtesy of ICA.