KUALA LUMPUR: A man who impersonated Johor police chief Commissioner M. Kumar and demanded the release of 11 detainees from the custody of an enforcement agency was fined RM1,000 by the magistrate's court today.
Magistrate Atiqah Mohamed@Mohamad Saim meted out the sentence on Ganasean K. Ananda, 51, after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
The court ordered the building manager to serve a month in jail if he failed to pay the fine.
The charge sheet read that Ganasean had impersonated the state's top cop to cheat an individual at 8.35pm in Bandar Baru Sentul on May 6.
The offence under Section 416 of the Penal Code, punishable under Section 417 of the same code, provides for a jail term of up to five years, a fine or both, if convicted.
The facts of the case read that a complainant had received a call from the accused, who had introduced himself as Kumar. The caller demanded the release of the detainees at RM1,500 per person.
Deputy public prosecutor Nadia Eleena Jamaluddin Akbal urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence as a deterrent.
"This offence cannot be taken lightly as he had deliberately impersonated the Johor police chief for his personal interest," she said.
In mitigation, defence counsel S. Narasimhan pleaded for a minimum fine for his client without a jail sentence.
He said his client was supporting his wife and five children, two of whom were schooling.
"He is ashamed of his offence. He has regretted his actions, is repentant and has promised not to repeat the offence," he said.