Kuala Lumpur: An Indian national appeared in the Sessions Court today, where he pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving more than RM140,000 of company funds, an incident that dates back four years.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Rajinder Singh, 57, faced charges related to his role as the director of Vantage Trading Partners. The allegations state that Singh committed the CBT offence involving RM141,486.12 at the company located in Ilham Tower, Jalan Binjai, on October 13 and November 26, 2021.

Charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code, Singh could face a prison sentence ranging from two to 20 years, alongside whipping and a potential fine if convicted. Additionally, he pleaded not guilty to an alternative charge under Section 218 (1) (a) of the Companies Act. This charge accuses him of using company funds without approval from a general meeting, which could result in imprisonment of up to five years, a fine up to RM3 million, or both upon conviction.

Judge Zulqarnain Hassan denied Singh bail, scheduling the case for mention on June 5. The judge emphasized that the primary purpose of bail is to secure the accused’s presence in court. Given that Singh and his wife are foreign nationals, the judge ruled that bail would not be granted.

Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Ikhwan Mohd Nasir refrained from offering bail but suggested that if the court were to consider it, the bail should be set at RM70,000 with two Malaysian guarantors. Singh’s lawyer, Daniel Annamalai, argued for bail, citing Singh’s responsibilities towards his British wife and two teenage children. He contended that Singh posed no flight risk, having lived in the country for seven years, and being involved in businesses across Malaysia, India, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, as well as serving as a ‘trader’ for the governments of these countries.