Latest news with #NationalRegistrationIdentityCard
Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Straits Times
Cop charged after allegedly forging women's signatures on police slips acknowledging return of ez-link card, NRIC
A police officer has been accused of forging police statements and documents related to cases he had investigated between 2021 and 2023. S Vikneshvaran Subramaniam was charged with four counts of forgery on May 21, 2025. Irregularities pertaining to case exhibits and document management were detected during a supervisory check of his work in January 2023 after he was placed under enhanced supervision in October 2022 due to work performance. Upon the discovery of the irregularities, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) immediately conducted a thorough review of all the cases investigated by Vikneshvaran. It was discovered that he had allegedly forged nine documents comprising seven police statements and two acknowledgment slips across seven cases, including five ongoing criminal cases and two concluded cases that did not result in prosecution. In the five then-ongoing cases, Vikneshvaran allegedly interviewed the persons verbally, either in person or over the phone, and recorded these as police statements and forged the signatures of the persons thereafter. According to court documents, the first of the cases occurred on July 6, 2021, when he allegedly forged a woman's signature on a police slip acknowledging the return of her ez-link card, reported The Straits Times. He allegedly forged another woman's signature on April 12, 2022, acknowledging the return of her National Registration Identity Card. Remedial actions were taken, including properly recording the necessary statements by newly assigned investigation officers. The Attorney-General's Chambers reassessed these cases after the remedial investigations were conducted and determined that there was no miscarriage of justice. Vikneshvaran has since been removed from duty. The police said: "To ensure that the investigation process is fair and robust, SPF has a system of regular audits of cases, and supervisors are immediately alerted when any lapses are detected. "Supervisors also pay closer attention to officers who show signs of underperformance. If any irregularity is discovered, internal investigations are swiftly conducted, and documents relating to all the cases which the errant officers were investigating will be reviewed." For each count of forgery, an offender can be jailed for up to four years and fined. Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Government acknowledges accountability failures in NRIC unmasking saga: Singapore live news
Hello to all our readers, Yahoo Singapore will be bringing you live news updates today. The editorial team will be curating the latest must-know local and international news. Top of the news, the Singapore government has acknowledged accountability failures in the NRIC unmasking saga, promising corrective actions and fair consequences for those involved. Minister Josephine Teo and ACRA's Chief Executive issued apologies for the distress caused by the incident, which exposed sensitive personal data on the Bizfile portal. The government pledged to improve communication and data protection, with a public consultation planned for 2025. Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates. The Singapore government has acknowledged significant accountability failures surrounding the NRIC unmasking saga, which triggered public concern over the exposure of sensitive personal data. Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean emphasised the importance of holding public servants accountable but cautioned against excessive punishment, which could undermine public sector innovation. He stressed that while accountability is crucial, the government must strike a balance between holding individuals responsible and protecting the integrity of the public service. In response to mounting scrutiny in Parliament, government officials have promised corrective actions to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. While MPs expressed concern over the potential repercussions for civil servants, fearing a chilling effect on future decision-making, the government has assured that consequences will be measured. This includes retraining and counselling for those involved, ensuring that staff members learn from their mistakes while maintaining public trust in the system. The incident, which came to light in December 2024, was caused by lapses in communication and coordination between the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) and the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI). The Bizfile platform, intended to facilitate business registrations, inadvertently exposed full National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers of business affiliates, sparking concerns about privacy breaches and the potential for identity theft. Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo and ACRA's Chief Executive Chia-Tern Huey Min offered apologies for the distress caused to the public. They acknowledged that the error stemmed from a misunderstanding regarding the government's plan to unmask NRIC numbers. Despite the apology, the government continues to monitor the situation closely and will consult the public in 2025 on new measures to better protect personal data. Read on SM Teo's statement on the NRIC unmasking saga here. The Singapore government has acknowledged significant accountability failures surrounding the NRIC unmasking saga, which triggered public concern over the exposure of sensitive personal data. Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean emphasised the importance of holding public servants accountable but cautioned against excessive punishment, which could undermine public sector innovation. He stressed that while accountability is crucial, the government must strike a balance between holding individuals responsible and protecting the integrity of the public service. In response to mounting scrutiny in Parliament, government officials have promised corrective actions to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. While MPs expressed concern over the potential repercussions for civil servants, fearing a chilling effect on future decision-making, the government has assured that consequences will be measured. This includes retraining and counselling for those involved, ensuring that staff members learn from their mistakes while maintaining public trust in the system. The incident, which came to light in December 2024, was caused by lapses in communication and coordination between the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) and the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI). The Bizfile platform, intended to facilitate business registrations, inadvertently exposed full National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers of business affiliates, sparking concerns about privacy breaches and the potential for identity theft. Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo and ACRA's Chief Executive Chia-Tern Huey Min offered apologies for the distress caused to the public. They acknowledged that the error stemmed from a misunderstanding regarding the government's plan to unmask NRIC numbers. Despite the apology, the government continues to monitor the situation closely and will consult the public in 2025 on new measures to better protect personal data. Read on SM Teo's statement on the NRIC unmasking saga here.
