Rajagopalan Tamilarasan v PP: Trafficking Cannabis - Mandatory Death Sentence Appeal

Rajagopalan Tamilarasan and Panneerselvan s/o Lallayah were convicted in the High Court of drug trafficking offenses under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Rajagopalan was convicted of possessing cannabis for the purpose of trafficking, and Panneerselvan was convicted of conspiring with Rajagopalan to traffic cannabis. Both were sentenced to the mandatory death penalty. They appealed to the Court of Appeal of Singapore, which dismissed their appeals, finding that the trial judge did not err in assessing the evidence and concluding that both appellants had the requisite knowledge that the yellow plastic bag contained cannabis.

1. Case Overview

1.1 Court

Court of Appeal

1.2 Outcome

Appeals dismissed.

1.3 Case Type

Criminal

1.4 Judgment Type

Grounds of Decision

1.5 Jurisdiction

Singapore

1.6 Description

Rajagopalan Tamilarasan and Panneerselvan s/o Lallayah appeal against their conviction for trafficking cannabis. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeals and upheld the mandatory death sentence.

1.7 Decision Date

2. Parties and Outcomes

Party NameRoleTypeOutcomeOutcome TypeCounsels
Public ProsecutorRespondentGovernment AgencyJudgment upheldWon
Amarjit Singh of Deputy Public Prosecutor
Rajagopalan TamilarasanAppellantIndividualAppeal DismissedLost
A Jeyapalan of Assigned
Lawrence Wong of Assigned
Panneerselvan s/o LallayahAppellantIndividualAppeal DismissedLost
Tan Teow Yeow of Assigned

3. Judges

Judge NameTitleDelivered Judgment
Chao Hick TinJudge of AppealNo
Tan Lee MengJudgeNo
Yong Pung HowChief JusticeYes

4. Counsels

Counsel NameOrganization
Amarjit SinghDeputy Public Prosecutor
A JeyapalanAssigned
Lawrence WongAssigned
Tan Teow YeowAssigned
Devendarajan VivekanandaAssigned

4. Facts

  1. Rajagopalan Tamilarasan was found in possession of 1648.8 grams of cannabis.
  2. Panneerselvan s/o Lallayah gave Rajagopalan Tamilarasan two blocks of vegetable matter containing 1648.8 grams of cannabis.
  3. Rajagopalan Tamilarasan claimed he was to deliver the bag to Paul's friend.
  4. Panneerselvan claimed Ravi asked him to deliver the bag.
  5. Six calls were made from Raja’s handphone to Panneer’s handphone on 1 March 2001, between 1.53 pm and 5.20 pm.

5. Formal Citations

  1. Rajagopalan Tamilarasan and Another v Public Prosecutor, Cr App 21/2001, [2002] SGCA 9

6. Timeline

DateEvent
Rajagopalan Tamilarasan possessed cannabis for trafficking.
Panneerselvan s/o Lallayah conspired to traffic cannabis.
Rajagopalan Tamilarasan and Panneerselvan s/o Lallayah arrested.
Appeals dismissed.

7. Legal Issues

  1. Whether the appellants had the requisite knowledge that the yellow plastic bag contained cannabis.
    • Outcome: The court found that both appellants had the requisite knowledge.
    • Category: Substantive

8. Remedies Sought

  1. Appeal against conviction
  2. Appeal against sentence

9. Cause of Actions

  • Drug Trafficking
  • Conspiracy to Traffic Drugs

10. Practice Areas

  • Criminal Appeals

11. Industries

  • No industries specified

12. Cited Cases

Case NameCourtAffirmedCitationJurisdictionSignificance
No cited cases

13. Applicable Rules

Rule Name
No applicable rules

14. Applicable Statutes

Statute NameJurisdiction
Misuse of Drugs Act, Chapter 185, section 5(1)(a)Singapore
Misuse of Drugs Act, Chapter 185, section 5(2)Singapore
Misuse of Drugs Act, Chapter 185, section 12Singapore
Misuse of Drugs Act, Chapter 185, section 33Singapore
Misuse of Drugs Act, Chapter 185, section 17(d)Singapore
Criminal Procedure Code (Cap 65), section 122(6)Singapore

15. Key Terms and Keywords

15.1 Key Terms

  • Cannabis
  • Drug trafficking
  • Conspiracy
  • Knowledge
  • Possession
  • Yellow plastic bag

15.2 Keywords

  • Drug trafficking
  • Cannabis
  • Singapore
  • Criminal law
  • Appeal
  • Misuse of Drugs Act

17. Areas of Law

Area NameRelevance Score
Misuse of Drugs Act95
Criminal Law80
Criminal conspiracy70
Abetment65
Criminal Procedure60
Penal Code40
Public Prosecutor35
Theft30
Consent of Public Prosecutor30
Confiscation and forfeiture25

16. Subjects

  • Criminal Law
  • Drug Offences