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An Indian-origin blogger successful Singapore was fined SGD 6,000 (about ₹4 lakh) connected Friday (June 6, 2025) aft helium pleaded blameworthy to 1 complaint of knowingly committing an enactment which promoted disharmony betwixt antithetic radical groups successful the state done a station connected TikTok.
Manmeet Singh's station came aft helium received a nexus from an chartless idiosyncratic with the alleged violative content, Channel News Asia reported.
Mr. Singh (57), past posted a commentary astir the contented without verifying its authenticity.
In the commentary connected TikTok, Mr. Singh claimed that Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo had made violative remarks against Malays, a mostly Muslim assemblage which accounts for astir 15% of Singapore’s six million-plus population.
He removed it erstwhile helium realised that helium had been "led on" by the chartless person, his lawyers told the court.
Mr. Singh is simply a blogger who posts astir socio-political issues connected TikTok, among different societal media platforms.
He posted the offending contented connected TikTok connected August 12, 2024.
The blog station alleged that Ms. Teo, erstwhile asked astir radical advancement during an interrogation with Chinese media connected Singapore's 59-year development, had made an violative remark against Malays past year. Ms. Teo is of Chinese descent.
At the clip of the offences, Mr. Singh's TikTok relationship had astir 9,054 followers. The video prompted Mr. Teo's colleagues and a newsman to inquire the Minister astir it.
Around 4 hours aft the video was published, Ms. Teo told her Press Secretary astir it. The Press Secretary past downloaded a transcript of the video and lodged a constabulary report.
Later that day, Mr. Singh suspected the allegations were mendacious and removed the TikTok video. He past posted different video successful which helium apologised to Ms. Teo, noting that his erstwhile allegation was astir apt false. Mr. Singh was arrested connected February 4, 2025, and released connected bail the adjacent day.
The defence lawyers said that Singh was "racked with guilt" implicit his actions.
"Manmeet is not successful the concern of making his videos for nett oregon clout. His contented is akin to an hold of himself and his views, which helium shares due to the fact that helium feels liable for raising awareness," said the lawyers.
Mr. Singh has since "deliberately steered wide of associating with different politicians to debar controversy", the lawyers said. He besides actively vets his quality sources.
For promoting radical disharmony, Mr. Singh could person been jailed for up to 3 years, fined, oregon both.
Published - June 06, 2025 03:33 p.m. IST
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