Indian-origin man jailed for bomb hoax in Singapore

An Indian-origin man has been jailed here for a bomb hoax in 2004 at Singapore's first prime minister late Lee Kuan Yew's house after consuming alcohol.

Ganesan Singaravel, 61, pleaded guilty to an offence under the Telecommunications Act, The New Paper reported Tuesday.

Ganesan drank alcohol till early morning on November 13, 2004, at a popular spot in Orchard Tower on Singapore's hotel belt of Orchard Road and then made a call from public telephone booth to the police, making reference to a bomb at Yew's house.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Benjamin Samynathan Monday told the court, "The call was made by the accused from a public phone located next to the Thai Embassy (also on Orchard Road). The call's message was clearly false, and the accused knew that the text of the call was false.

"A (police) patrol car was sent to Orchard Towers to interview and arrest the accused. He was coherent during his interactions with the officers at the scene. Meanwhile, the officers who were already stationed at Oxley Road (Lee's house) were told to step up patrols and be alert and vigilant."