The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) alerts Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to information concerning then transport minister S. Iswaran. The bureau came across the information while looking into a separate matter.

The CPIB director briefs PM Lee on the bureau’s findings and seeks to open formal investigations and to interview Iswaran.

PM Lee gives his approval for a formal investigation.

Iswaran is arrested.

Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng, who is founder and managing director of Hotel Properties Limited, is also arrested in relation to the case. Both men are released on bail.

CPIB releases a statement saying that Iswaran is “assisting with investigations”. The matter is made public for the first time.

PM Lee says in a separate statement that he had instructed Iswaran to take a leave of absence until the CPIB investigation is completed. He announces that Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat will be Acting Minister for Transport.

In a doorstop interview, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong says the Government will be “upfront and transparent” and “will not sweep anything under the carpet” even if it is potentially embarrassing or damaging for the People’s Action Party and the Government. He also said that other MPs from West Coast GRC will cover Iswaran’s duties.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) says Iswaran will remain in Singapore during the probe and will have no access to any official resources and government buildings.

Hotel Properties Limited discloses Mr Ong’s arrest in a Singapore Exchange filing and says he is cooperating with CPIB to provide information on his interactions with Iswaran.

The company also says that Mr Ong will post bail of $100,000 and will travel overseas from July 14.

CPIB confirms Mr Iswaran’s arrest.

Iswaran is seen leaving CPIB headquarters in Jalan Bukit Merah in the evening, some 10 hours after he was spotted entering the premises.

The PMO says PM Lee and DPM Wong did not disclose Iswaran’s arrest on July 12 as revealing such information is CPIB’s decision to make.

Online blog Political Sophistry is asked to put up a correction notice under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act for falsely claiming that Iswaran’s arrest was intentionally concealed because it was “politically embarrassing”.

Parliament discusses the CPIB probe. PM Lee makes a ministerial statement and tells the House that Iswaran’s monthly pay was reduced to $8,500 when he was interdicted.

Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing answers MPs’ questions on the matter. He says CPIB did not initially announce the arrest as it wanted first to establish more facts of the case, including hearing Iswaran’s side of the story.

Parliament debates a motion by opposition Progress Singapore Party MP Hazel Poa to suspend Iswaran. MPs reject the motion and vote to consider the matter when there is an outcome from the corruption probe.

National Development Minister Desmond Lee says in an interview with The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao that the corruption probe into Iswaran was a “very worrying development” and has had a big impact on West Coast GRC.

Mr Lee, who is an MP in the GRC, says: “Since (the news broke) in July, we have been able to hold the team together, energise them to continue serving the ground with passion and dedication.”

Mr Chan tells Parliament the CPIB has completed its investigation into Iswaran and the matter is before the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).

In a written reply to a parliamentary question, he says: “I understand that there is much public interest in this matter. I want to give my assurance that this case will be put through the due legal process.”

CPIB informs Iswaran that he will be charged and takes his statement.

Iswaran writes to PM Lee to inform him about the charges. He says he rejects the allegations and will focus on clearing his name. He also steps down as minister and MP and resigns from the People’s Action Party.

Iswaran writes to PM Lee again to say that he will return all that he received in ministerial salary and MP allowances since the start of the CPIB probe, although he has not been asked to do so.

He adds that he will not be seeking the return of the monies if he is acquitted.

PM Lee, in a letter, accepts Iswaran’s resignation and acknowledges the former minister’s decision to return his salary and allowances.

“It is essential that I deal with such matters rigorously in accordance with the law. It is the right thing to do. We must uphold the integrity of the Party and the Government. I am sure you understand the importance of doing so. Singaporeans expect no less,” says PM Lee.

Iswaran is charged in the State Courts. His resignations as transport minister and West Coast GRC MP are announced, with the PMO releasing letters between the former minister and PM Lee.

Iswaran granted permission to leave Singapore from Feb 16 to March 4 to settle his son into university in Australia.

The prosecution imposes several conditions on his application, including a cash bail of $500,000. He must also surrender his travel documents within 24 hours of his return to Singapore.

Permission given for Iswaran to extend his trip to Australia by 16 days – from March 4 to March 19 – as he had fallen ill while abroad.

A spokesman for the AGC says the prosecution does not object to it, and has set out enhanced bail conditions Iswaran has to abide by, including reporting to the investigation officer daily via video call.

ST understands he is at private hospital Cabrini Malvern in Melbourne because of a respiratory illness. He is subsequently discharged on March 5.

AGC says Iswaran has surrendered his passport to the authorities, after returning to Singapore from Australia.

Iswaran faces eight new charges in court.

He had allegedly obtained, as a public servant, valuables with a total value of $18,956.94 from Mr Lum Kok Seng. According to charge sheets, the items include bottles of whisky, golf clubs, and a Brompton bicycle that cost $7,907.50.

The alleged offences were committed between November 2021 and November 2022.

Mr Lum is listed as the managing director of Lum Chang, a property management, interior design and construction firm. Iswaran had allegedly known him to be involved in business that had a connection with his official function as Minister for Transport. The business transacted involved a contract between Lum Chang Building Contractors and the Land Transport Authority for addition and alteration works to Tanah Merah MRT station and existing viaducts.

Iswaran succeeds in a High Court bid for a joint trial of the two sets of charges that he faces, following a full-day hearing.

His lawyer, Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, had argued that Iswaran’s state of mind was the same for both sets of charges.

Iswaran currently faces 27 charges relating to Mr Ong, and eight charges relating to Mr Lum.

Iswaran tries to compel the prosecution to provide conditioned statements for all 56 prosecution witnesses.

A conditioned statement is a mode of giving evidence by written statement, rather than by oral testimony.

The prosecution team argues it had provided a list of the 56 witnesses and their roles in the case, and is not obliged to provide the conditioned statements of these witnesses.

A High Court judge rejects Iswaran’s bid to compel the prosecution to provide the conditioned statements.

The trial, which was originally slated to begin on Aug 13, is pushed back to September.

AGC says the first tranche of trial dates is now fixed for Sept 10 to 13.

Responding to media queries, a spokesperson for the AGC says the earlier set of trial dates was vacated at the request of defence counsel.

With his trial due to begin in a week’s time, Iswaran fails in his third attempt to obtain conditioned statements of every prosecution witness.

The Court of Appeal dismisses his latest bid after hearing arguments from his lawyer, Mr Singh, and without requiring the prosecution to respond.

Less than a week before the first day of the hearing, the trial is adjourned to Sept 24.

The AGC says the prosecution and the defence had requested that the court adjourn the start of the hearing, which the court acceded to as it was a joint request.

The High Court sees the first Singapore political office-holder in nearly five decades standing trial.

Opening statements are heard from the prosecution led by Deputy Attorney-General Tai Wei Shyong and Iswaran’s defence team led by Mr Singh.

Iswaran pleads guilty, after the prosecution decided not to proceed with the earlier corruption charges.

He is convicted of five charges, and the prosecution is seeking a jail term of six to seven months.

Iswaran is expected to be sentenced on Oct 3.

Iswaran gets 12 months' jail term - more than the six to seven months’ jail the prosecution had sought. The defence had sought not more than eight weeks’ jail.

Justice Vincent Hoong says it is appropriate to impose a heavier sentence, adding that taking the submission of either prosecution or defence would result in a "manifestly inadequate sentence".

"The higher the office held by the offender as a public servant, the higher his level of culpability," says the judge.

Iswaran's lawyer asks for the sentence to commence on Oct 7.

Ong Beng Seng is charged with abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts and with abetting the obstruction of justice.

Ong’s lawyer asks for a six-week adjournment, saying he needs time to take instructions from his client. The case is adjourned to Nov 15.