KUALA LUMPUR – A company director was fined RM60,000, in default 21 months’ jail, by the sessions court here today on three charges of using false documents related to the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) two years ago.
Judge Azura Alwi sentenced Datuk Reghu P.V. Bhaskaran, 63, after he changed his plea to guilty on the three alternative charges at today’s proceedings.
The court also ordered the accused to serve 21 months in prison if he failed to pay the fine.
Reghu pleaded guilty to using two invoices amounting to RM25,000 and one payment voucher of RM5,000 which he knew were false supporting documents to be submitted for claims related to the socio-economic development programmes of the Indian community.
All the offences were committed by Reghu at Mitra, Putrajaya on May 5, 2021 and he was charged under Section 471 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 465 of the same code which carries a maximum prison sentence of two years, or a fine, or both.
However, another 20 optional charges involving forged documents that Reghu faced were previously considered as offences “taken into consideration” under Section 171A of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The prosecution was handled by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission deputy public prosecutor Mohd ‘Afif Ali, while Reghu was represented by lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh. – Bernama, June 19, 2023