Cop forged statement of alleged molestation victim

Kalaivani Kalimuthu forged the statement of the alleged molestation victim because she could not meet her and wanted to complete the investigation quickly.
Kalaivani Kalimuthu forged the statement of the alleged molestation victim because she could not meet her and wanted to complete the investigation quickly. ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

A female police officer forged the statement of a woman who had reported that she was molested, and gave the impression that the alleged victim did not mind being touched.

As a result, the alleged victim was to have been warned for making a false police report.

But during investigations, it emerged that Senior Staff Sergeant Kalaivani Kalimuthu, 38, had actually forged the woman's statement because she could not meet the alleged victim and wanted to complete the investigation quickly.

Kalaivani, who has been interdicted since Sept 14 last year from the Singapore Police Force (SPF), was yesterday found guilty of committing forgery. The former investigation officer at Ang Mo Kio Police Division will be sentenced on Jan 8.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Stephanie Chew told the court that the alleged victim had lodged a police report and provided a statement on March 27, 2016, saying she had been molested.

Kalaivani, who was assigned to the case in April 2016, was to have interviewed the woman but "encountered difficulty in arranging an interview".

Just before she was to have been moved from her role on Dec 1 that year, Kalaivani forged the woman's statement around Nov 13.

In it, she stated that the woman had also touched the alleged molester during the incident, and did not mind being touched herself.

Kalaivani then signed on the document in the woman's name by tracing out her signature from the initial statement.

She forwarded the investigation papers to her officer-in-charge on Nov 25, 2016, recommending that no further action be taken. The case was later reassigned to Senior Investigation Officer (SIO) Pang Shijie.

In December, the investigation papers were sent to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), recommending that no further action be taken and that the alleged victim be warned for providing false information.

The following month, the AGC directed the police to record a further statement from the woman, and to investigate the details and extent of false information she had provided.

In June last year, when SIO Pang interviewed the woman, she denied making the statement and also said she did not visit the police station.

SIO Pang learnt there was no record of her visiting the station on the date Kalaivani purportedly recorded her statement and lodged a police report on Aug 18 last year.

In a statement, police said SPF officers are expected to uphold the law and maintain the highest standards of conduct and integrity.

"We deal severely with officers who break the law, including charging them in court."

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 28, 2018, with the headline Cop forged statement of alleged molestation victim. Subscribe