A 28-year-old Indian-origin man, Visnu Suriamurthi, was sentenced to six weeks in jail and fined SGD 2,000 in Singapore on Friday.
Vishnu was sentenced after pleading guilty to voluntarily causing hurt to a rival gang member and engaging in illegal gambling.
The case stems from a gang brawl on August 20, 2023, outside the Concorde hotel and shopping mall on Orchard road which left one man dead. Another accused, charged with murder, remains on trial.
The brawl turned fatal when 29-year-old Mohammad Isrrat Mohammad Ismail was stabbed multiple times. Authorities allege that Asvain Pachan Pillai Sukumaran, a 30-year-old also of Indian origin and a member of Visnu’s group, used Ismail’s knife to stab him fatally. Sukumaran faces murder charges and is currently undergoing trial.
Police arrested Visnu at a hospital where he sought treatment following the brawl. So far, more than 10 individuals have been charged in connection with the violent incident.
Visnu’s sentencing took into account his history of violent offences. In 2022, he served two separate jail terms for similar charges.
District judge Ong Luan Tze reminded him of his potential to change: “You are still young…. Take some time to think about how you want your future to pan out, and after this case, to seriously consider not coming back to court.”
So far, more than 10 men have faced legal proceedings for their roles in the violent brawl.
