Thu Sep 12 05:07:00 UTC 2024: ## Foreign Worker Agent Charged with Cheating Investor in Ipoh
**IPOH** – A foreign worker recruitment agent, N. Narendran (44), was charged at the Magistrate’s Court in Ipoh on Thursday with five counts of cheating. The charges stem from allegations that Narendran deceived a 66-year-old man, M. Punnusamy, into investing RM58,000 in a purported medical goods supply deal for the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital.
Narendran is accused of promising Punnusamy high returns on the investment, leading him to make payments in installments to the accused’s company, “Mess N Medical,” between November 27 and December 23, 2023. The prosecution claims that Punnusamy would not have made the payments had he not been misled by Narendran.
The accused pleaded not guilty to all five charges under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of between one and ten years, whipping, and a fine upon conviction.
The deputy public prosecutor, Vatchira Wong Rui Fern, argued for stringent bail conditions, citing Narendran’s previous failure to appear for an appeal case. She requested bail at RM6,000 for each charge, demanding the accused report to the nearest police station and surrender his passport to the court.
Narendran’s lawyer, K. Nahtan, countered the prosecution’s arguments, asserting that his client was unaware of the appeal hearing due to a lack of proper notice. He highlighted Narendran’s sole breadwinner status and the need for his passport for work, requesting bail at RM10,000 for all charges.
Magistrate S. Punitha ultimately set bail at RM8,000 with one surety, requiring Narendran to report to the nearest police station monthly. The next mention date for the case is set for November 14.
First Piper 