Lawyer M. Ravi was charged yesterday with criminal trespass into a law firm at People's Park Centre where he used to work.

The 48-year-old, who has been barred from applying for a practising certificate for two years since last October, is accused of entering law firm Eugene Thuraisingam's branch office at 2.16pm on Tuesday. He allegedly committed the offence with another man, Lai Yew Thiam, 56, who was also charged yesterday.

Ravi had been the head of knowledge management at the firm and was based at the Chinatown office.

The Straits Times understands he lost his job earlier last month and was told to vacate the premises by June 16. He was arrested on Thursday for the alleged offence.

Yesterday, the prosecution applied for Ravi to be remanded for psychiatric evaluation but District Judge Adam Nakhoda turned it down. The judge did not believe there was evidence to show that Ravi was unable to understand the proceedings and the charge against him.

Ravi, who had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder more than a decade ago, had earlier said he was claiming trial as he was a co-tenant at the People's Park Centre office, and was paying rent. He also told the court his medicine for his condition had been running low. He claimed he had not been allowed to take his medicine for the last two days when he was in prison.

Bail of $5,000 each was allowed. Lai is also claiming trial. Their passports have been impounded and the case is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on July 7. Judge Nakhoda told Ravi that as a condition of his bail, he was not to return to the law firm until the case was decided. If convicted of criminal trespass, both men can each be jailed for up to three months and/or fined up to $1,500.

Responding to Ravi's claim that he was a co-tenant, Mr Eugene Thuraisingam said the law firm is the sole tenant of the premises.