SINGAPORE: An Indian, part of 25 alleged rioters who participated in Singapore's worst outbreak of violence in over 40 years, plans to seek judicial review on the conditions that the authorities have imposed on him.
Arun Kaliamurthy, 28, was in Singapore on tourist social visit pass when the riot took place in Little India on December 8.
Kaliamurthy, currently out on bail, had last week asked the court to change the 'unilateral decision' of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) - to report to them on a daily basis to get his special pass - to a weekly one, in line with court-ordered bail conditions.
But Deputy Public Prosecutor John Lu today told the court that as Controller of Immigration, 'ICA has the power to impose whatever conditions they want when they issue an 'S' Pass'.
'That's an executive decision, and unfortunately this court has no power to review that decision,' said Lu.
Responding to Lu's statement, Kaliamurthy's lawyer M Ravi said that his client was being 'unequally treated', given that the other accused continue to enjoy the benefits of their work permits, and only he had his social visit pass cancelled.
Ravi indicated that he will seek a judicial review in the High Court on the matter, The Straits Times reported.
The case has been fixed for a pre-trial conference on January 29.
It was 'extremely oppressive and unreasonable' to be required to report to the ICA daily, Kaliamurthy said.
He is among 25 Indian nationals being charged for rioting in Little India, a precinct of Indian-origin businesses, eateries and pubs where most South Asian workers take their Sunday break.
The trouble started after a private bus fatally knocked down an Indian pedestrian in Little India on December 8. Some 400 migrant workers were involved in the rampage that left 39 police and civil defence staff injured and 25 vehicles -- including 16 police cars -- damaged.
Singapore previously witnessed violence of such scale during race riots in 1969. 56 Indians and a Bangladeshi have been deported from Singapore for alleged involvement in the riot.
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