SINGAPORE: A man who posed as a police officer to assault a migrant domestic worker near Little India MRT station has pleaded guilty in the High Court.
The accused, Sharveen Chetty, 48, was an SBS Transit employee on patrol duty at the time. Prosecutors said he abused that role by pretending to be a police officer to gain the woman’s trust. He faced two charges of rape and one charge of impersonating a police officer. He pleaded not guilty at that time when the trial began on Feb 3.
According to Lianhe Zaobao‘s report, the incident happened on the night of Jul 11, 2022. The victim, a 35-year-old Indonesian domestic helper, was sitting on a patch of grass near Little India MRT station with her boyfriend and other friends.
Deputy Public Prosecutors said Chetty approached the group and claimed he was a police officer conducting identity checks. He allegedly used a body-worn camera issued for his SBS Transit job to appear official and pretended to scan their work permits.
The court heard that Chetty took the victim’s identification documents and phone, then instructed her friends to remain where they were. He asked the woman to follow him and led her to a nearby area of bushes.
Prosecutors said he threatened to create difficulties for her and her friends if she resisted, including problems staying and working in Singapore. The prosecution alleged that the woman was indecently assaulted and raped.
After the incident, the woman returned to her friends and told them that Chetty was a fake police officer. She then reported the incident to two female police officers who were nearby.
Chetty left Singapore following the incident but was arrested three days later upon re-entering the country via Tuas Checkpoint. Medical and forensic evidence was presented in court. Tests found Chetty’s DNA on the woman’s clothing and body. Doctors did not observe visible external injuries.
SBS Transit told Lianhe Zaobao that Chetty left the company more than three years ago.
On Feb 4, Chetty pleaded guilty to one charge of rape. A second rape charge and one charge of impersonating a police officer will be taken into consideration during sentencing. He changed his plea after the first day of trial. Chetty’s lawyer, Mohamed Baiross, said he could not disclose the reason his client changed his plea, citing the attorney-client privilege.
The High Court has fixed Feb 26 for sentencing. A rape conviction carries a maximum jail term of 20 years, along with caning or a fine.
The case highlights how false authority can be used to exploit trust, especially against vulnerable workers, and why impersonating law enforcement is treated seriously in Singapore.
