SINGAPORE - Four men charged in connection with the Dec 8 riot in Little India have withdrawn their applications for two separate judicial review proceedings against the Government, said the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) on Friday.

Arun Kaliamurthy, Rajendran Mohan and Ravi Arun Vengatesh had applied for a judicial review proceeding to quash certain conditions imposed on them by the Controller of Immigration pending their criminal trials. Both parties had filed their respective affidavits and written submissions for the case, and it was originally fixed to be heard by a High Court Judge on May 12.

For a judicial review to commence, the parties seeking the review must first get permission from the court. But on May 7, lawyer M Ravi applied on the three men's behalf to withdraw the proceedings with costs amounting to $3,000, to be paid by them to AGC. The application was granted by the High Court.

A week later, on behalf of Mr M Ravi, Mr Anil Balchandani applied to withdraw a separate judicial review proceeding to quash the stern warning administered by the police and the order of removal made by the Controller of Immigration on Rajendran Ranjan. Mr M Ravi was also seeking to reinstate the work permit of his client.

The High Court granted the application to withdraw with costs of $1,000 to be paid by Mr Arumugam Sivanathan, the uncle of Rajendran Ranjan, who had authorised the proceedings on his behalf.

Rajendran Ranjan was previously working as a construction worker in Singapore. He was given a stern warning by the police for his involvement in the Little India riot on Dec 8 last year.