Update on Fraudulent Transactions of Dealer Who Took Vehicles Without Payment
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the status of police investigations into a car dealer accused of fraudulent vehicle transactions and the efficacy of legal safeguards against reoffending. Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked for updates on the case and whether current interim measures sufficiently prevent suspects from engaging in further illicit transactions while under investigation. Coordinating Minister and Minister K Shanmugam stated that the dealer has been charged with 12 counts of cheating and emphasized the complexity of proving fraudulent intent over business failure. He explained that authorities can freeze bank accounts and set bail conditions to prevent reoffending, with any breaches potentially leading to bail forfeiture or remand. Furthermore, the Police worked with other agencies and private companies to block the dealer and his firms from conducting motoring transactions or posting advertisements on motoring platforms.
Transcript
117 Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs with reference to the case reported on 28 July 2024 involving a dealer taking vehicles without payment (a) whether the Ministry can provide an update on the police investigations into the alleged fraudulent vehicle transactions; and (b) whether legal safeguards or interim measures were adequate to prevent the persons under investigation from engaging in similar transactions while investigations were ongoing.
Mr K Shanmugam: The alleged car dealer has been charged in Court on 8 November 2024 and 2 April 2026 for a total of 12 counts of cheating under section 420 of the Penal Code. He has been remanded and prosecution is in progress.
Investigations into cases of alleged fraud, especially cases like this, are typically complex and may take time. The Police would need to gather sufficient evidence to prove that there is a fraudulent intent to cheat and not a case of genuine business failure.
While the case is ongoing, there are levers to prevent the accused from reoffending. Under the Criminal Procedure Code, the Police can freeze any bank accounts that are suspected to contain funds from illicit activities. If any arrestable offences are disclosed, the Police may also arrest the suspects. Prior to the release of arrested persons from the Police's custody, or if the person has been brought before the Court, bail conditions would be set. This would include a condition to not commit any offence while on bail. If bail conditions are breached, it may lead to the forfeiture of bail money or revocation of bail, and the accused would be remanded in custody.
For this case, the Police had also worked with other relevant Government agencies and private companies, to ensure that the dealer and his companies would not be able to perform motoring transactions or post advertisements on motoring platforms.