Lawyer accused of pocketing client's $4k
A lawyer was acting for a man when he allegedly misappropriated $4,000 in excess legal fees belonging to the latter.
Dhanaraj James Selvaraj, 61, is accused of pocketing the alleged victim’s money between March and April 2020.
Dhanaraj is also said to have entered into an unlawful agreement with a third man, David Raj Daniel Krishnan, 50, on or around June 21, 2019.
Dhanaraj allegedly agreed that he would indemnify David of any liability, which the latter may incur while acting as a surety to a bail bond for the same alleged victim – an offence under the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
Court documents did not disclose details about the alleged victim’s case or the relationship among the three men.
On Sept 27, Dhanaraj was charged with one count each of criminal breach of trust while acting as an attorney and an offence under the CPC.
A search with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority revealed that Dhanaraj is a director and shareholder at James Selvaraj law firm.
But his particulars could not be found following a search on lawyers on the Ministry of Law website on Sept 27.
David, who is a director and shareholder at a firm called Straatford, is now accused of one count each of criminal breach of trust and a similar offence under the CPC.
In addition to allegedly entering into the unlawful agreement with Dhanaraj, David is also accused of misappropriating $10,000 in bail monies belonging to the same alleged victim, in or around April 2020.
The cases involving Dhanaraj and David have been adjourned to Oct 24.
Offenders convicted of criminal breach of trust can be jailed for up to seven years and fined. But those who commit such an offence while acting as an attorney can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined.
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