The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has issued a stern warning against a former DBS employee who had posted an illustration of a T-shirt with the Singapore flag being torn with the Indian flag underneath online.

Responding to queries regarding Avijit Das Patnaik’s case on Tuesday (23 Oct), the police announced: “Following investigations, the police, in consultation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, has administered a stern warning.”

The warning was issued on 3 Oct, a couple of months after a police report was lodged against Mr Patnaik, a Singapore permanent resident of nine years, regarding the Facebook post.

He had posted the image on a page called Singapore Indians and Expats on the eve of India’s Independence Day, which falls on 15 Aug. It was later taken down after he had received backlash from netizens.

The Hindi words “Phir bhi dil hai…”, which roughly translates to “Still my heart is…”, were included in Mr Patnaik’s post on 14 Aug.

Mr Patnaik has since defended himself by stating that he did not create the image, and that he only shared it, especially considering the fact that it was a widely circulated image, adding that he did not mean to offend Singaporeans as he loves Singapore “deeply” and is “always singing praises about” Singapore.

Mr Patnaik was investigated under the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Rules, which state that “no person shall treat the flag with disrespect.”

On 28 Aug, DBS announced via Facebook that Mr Patnaik is “no longer with the bank” as of 24 Aug.

The announcement was made 10 days after DBS explained via Facebook that Mr Patnaik had posted the image because he “wanted to show that even as he’s in Singapore, he remains Indian at heart,” and that “upon realising the graphic was offensive, he took it down immediately.”

Netizens applauded DBS’s move.

Mr Patnaik, who lives here with his wife and two young children, remains unemployed after the incident and is currently looking for a new job, according to Channel NewsAsia.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

新加坡保安协会质疑评估制 吁当局改善现有评估标准

新加坡保安协会发表措辞强烈声明,对政府最新的保安机构评估结果持质疑态度,认为当局有必要改善评估标准和方法。 该协会代表国内180个保安机构。协会执行董事依山(Ikhsan)认为,评估结果获得A级与B级的保安机构,都和去年相仿,可能给予外界印象,认为他们并没有进步。 保安协会认为,现有制度根据钟形曲线(bell curve)评级,但尽管总得分95以上的机构有增长三分之一,惟仅63家机构能获得A评级。 针对上述协会的声明,内政部则在昨日傍晚回应,指评估制一项透明,所有保安机构都清楚,再者更改评估制也有是咨询过业界,且事先知会各机构。 自从2009年推行以来,该评估制协助提升保安业的专业和水准;大部分业者都维持和提升评估表现,至于连年表现欠佳者责备吊销执照。 政府在去年起调整保安业分级制评估标准,旨在针对这些保安机构表现,进行独立的年度评估。这些评估类别分为:程序(35巴仙)、人员(22巴仙)、系统与科技(20巴仙)、雇佣制度(15巴仙)以及反恐(8巴仙)。 评级具商业意义  客户货比三家 今年共有235家保安机构参与评估,多达63家获得A级(26.81巴仙)、105家获B评级(44.68巴仙)以及64家得到C评级。仅3家保安机构获得D级。 依山也补充,评级对于保安机构具有商业意义,客户会根据评级货比三家。 保安员的处境…

企业跃跃欲试 金管局接21份数码银行执照申请

新加坡金融管理局指出,共接获21份数码银行执照申请,其中有七方竞标全面数码银行执照,14方则申请批发数码银行执照。 新加坡金融管理局近日发表声明,数码银行执照吸引了电子商务公司、科技和电信公司、金融科技公司和金融机构的强烈兴趣,多数竞争者都组成财团竞标。 当局也表示,将在6月宣布申请获批准名单,并预计将在2021年开始营业。 金管局于去年8月宣布开放纯数码银行执照申请,预计将发放最多五张执照。其中包括两张全面数码银行执照和三张批发数码银行执照。 尽管当局并没有透露申请者身份,但很多公司都对此项目表示感兴趣,如召车服务公司Grab和通讯业巨头新电信,两者也率先提出合组财团申请全面数码银行执照。 随后,电竞设备厂商雷蛇(Razor)与中国支付巨头蚂蚁金服于本周分别宣布,将加入战局。 据《联合早报》报导,新能源集团(SP Group)今早也宣布加入数码银行执照竞争。它已与香港尚乘集团(AMTD)、小米集团旗下的小米金融,以及P2P借贷平台Funding Societies共同申请批发数码银行执照。

Cycling path network expansion to be brought forward 'a couple of year', says Minister Lam Pin Min

An expansion of Singapore’s cycling path network could be brought forward to…

人群夜店前闹事 男子朝车中狂踢

酒后乱性,一群男子似乎在夜店外闹事,随后一名身穿白衣的男子开门,准备登上停靠在夜店前的轿车,开了车门往里用脚狂踢数下,车内也传出大喊声。男子随后登上车子内,而夜店一直有女子大喊。 署名Mohan的网友于上周末(26日),在All Singapore Stuff脸书群组内上载了一段名为“夜店闹剧”(Drama At Dance Club)的视频,长约25秒。 视频中只见一辆白色宝马停靠在夜店的前面,中间隔着一群身穿黑衣的男男女女。视频一开始时,只见有一名男子自车上走过,被其他人拉下来,随后就有一名身穿白衣白帽的男子自车子前方走到驾驶座的位置,身后还跟着一名同样身穿白衣的男子。 但是白衣白帽男子打开驾驶座车门时,就开始朝车内狂踢,还听到有女子的大声哀嚎声,随后男子就坐入车内。 帖文上写道“我的天,为什么要打架,打架,打架?若新加坡人能够参加世界MMA综合格斗,一定能够成为冠军的” 。 视频上传至今,已经有4万4000人观看,也获得274个评论。…