Jail for man who used colleagues' data to redeem face masks
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Srinivasan Yuvaraj used his colleagues' personal details to unlawfully obtain seven masks from a vending machine.
A marine surveyor obtained the personal particulars of seven colleagues amid the Covid-19 outbreak and used the information to dupe Temasek Foundation into issuing seven face masks through a vending machine.
Temasek Foundation is the social and charity arm of Singapore investment company Temasek Holdings and the masks cost a total of $84.
Indian national Srinivasan Yuvaraj, 39, pleaded guilty yesterday to a cheating charge and was sentenced to seven weeks' jail.
The court heard that Temasek Foundation had conducted the fourth round of its nationwide mask distribution exercise in March to provide Singapore residents with adequate access to masks during the pandemic.
From March 1 to 14, residents could each collect one reusable mask by keying in their NRIC or FIN numbers at the machines installed at various places, including community centres, islandwide.
No further verification was needed and the masks would be issued only once per NRIC or FIN number.
Srinivasan had in his possession the name lists of his colleagues, along with their personal particulars.
He then selected seven names randomly and jotted down their particulars, including their NRIC and FIN numbers.
Without his colleagues' consent, he went to a mask vending machine at Chua Chu Kang Community Club on March 1 and unlawfully obtained seven masks worth $12 each.
Srinivasan's offences came to light after one of his colleagues tried to redeem his face mask but failed. The 53-year-old man lodged a police report on March 4.
Srinivasan later discarded the masks and has made no restitution.
For cheating, an offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
