KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 — A deliveryman was fined RM2,000 by the Magistrate’s Court here today after pleading guilty to injuring sports journalist and National Press Club deputy president Haresh Deol in November last year.

Magistrate Aina Azahra Arifin imposed the sentence on R Krishnan, 37, and ordered him to serve three months’ imprisonment in default of payment. The accused paid the fine.

Krishnan, charged alongside another individual still at large, was accused of committing the offence against Haresh Deol, whose full name is Haresh Singh Chain Singh, 44, in front of the Tanjung Balai Group Building on Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar, between 3.10pm and 3.32pm on November 25, 2025.

He was charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of one year’s imprisonment, a fine of RM2,000, or both.

Based on the facts of the case, Haresh, who is a co-founder and editor at the news portal Twentytwo13, was approached by the accused and another man, pretending to be on a phone call as Haresh walked near a car park at Bangsar Village 3.

Haresh felt unsafe and attempted to flee, but the men chased him, causing him to collide with a pedestrian and fall onto the road shoulder.  

They then assaulted him. One of the men warned him not to disturb his wife. When Haresh asked which wife he meant, both men fled the scene.

He pursued the pair and took several photographs. The entire altercation was captured on CCTV and witnessed by members of the public. 

The victim promptly sought assistance at a nearby police post and later received treatment at the University of Malaya Medical Centre. A medical examination confirmed he had sustained soft tissue injuries and bruising to the bridge of his nose, earlobe and chest.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Hench Goh urged the court to impose a commensurate sentence, citing public interest and the need to deter both the accused and the general public from committing similar offences.

“The victim was attacked and assaulted in broad daylight. The accused and another man still at large deliberately intended to strike the victim, resulting in his injuries,” he submitted.

“This act instils fear in the public, who may feel unsafe walking in public spaces, vulnerable to sudden attack. Should the court impose a lenient sentence, such offenders will not be deterred from repeating these crimes,” he argued.

The accused’s lawyer, Mohamad Salihen Mastor, however, requested a minimum fine, citing his client’s lack of fixed income, his responsibility for five children and his mother.

He added that his client also did not have any prior criminal record and had expressed remorse for his actions. — Bernama