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40-year-old charged with taking meth with Indian-origin M Ravi who died in Singapore
M Ravi was an advocate for the LGBTQ community. He also supported the abolition of the death penalty.
A 40-year-old man in Singapore was charged in court for allegedly consuming methamphetamine with Indian-origin former lawyer M Ravi, who died in the early hours of Wednesday, December 24. Reportedly, they consumed the drug at an Upper Boon Keng Road flat just hours before his death.
The 40-year-old Shawn Loo Zhi Jian was charged for allegedly arranging a gathering where the attendees consumed controlled drugs, reported Mothership. He was charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act by the State Courts.
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Jian said that M Ravi started showing "concerning symptoms" after they consumed the drugs, reported CNA. He then became unresponsive. Initially, Jian administered CPR, but later called the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for assistance. An unconscious M Ravi was rushed to the hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced dead.
Reportedly, the authorities alleged that Jian tried to dispose of some drugs before police arrived at the Upper Boon Keng Road flat.
An employee of the Bank of America, Jian, is set to return to court on January 2. He was offered bail at S$20,000 (approximately US$15,578).
Who was M Ravi?
Ravi Madasamy, popularly known as M Ravi, was known for representing death row inmates in Singapore. He practised law for more than 25 years. He also supported the abolition of the death penalty, reported The Straits Times, a Singapore daily.
He graduated from the National University of Singapore before going to Britain to study law. He founded his own law firm in 2019. He also advocated for the decriminalisation of homosexuality. M Ravi was reportedly diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2006.
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Remembering the former lawyer, Eugene Thuraisingam, who previously served as M Ravi’s counsel, said that he "was a man who stood up for and fought hard in court for what he believed in".
“He has contributed to and will be missed by the legal profession,” he told The Straits Times.
