SINGAPORE, July 16 — A 22-year-old student was sentenced to 35 months’ jail today for pushing a heavily intoxicated man into the Singapore River, leading to the man’s death by drowning.

According to Channel News Asia (CNA), Legha Pawan, an Indian national, pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt to 33-year-old Jasbir Singh, where the injury ultimately led to the victim’s death. The charge had been reduced from an earlier charge of causing death by a rash act. A second charge was taken into consideration.

The court heard that on the night of June 30, 2024, Legha had gone out drinking with several housemates in Clarke Quay. The group consumed alcohol near the riverside close to the Paradox Singapore Merchant Court Hotel. Legha drank two cans of beer and got into a brief scuffle before the group dispersed.

Around 10.10pm, Jasbir Singh, a construction worker, was walking alone along the riverbank. He had been drinking heavily after his mother’s death two to three months earlier.

Legha, who returned to the scene alone around 10.30pm, approached Singh, who was swaying and hugging a lamp post. The two were not acquainted. Eyewitnesses saw Legha speak quietly to Singh before suddenly pushing him in the chest. Singh, who had his back to the river, stumbled backwards, rolled down the steps and into the water.

A couple nearby witnessed the incident and called the police. Legha fled the scene.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force’s Disaster Assistance Rescue Team launched a search. Singh’s body was found around 2am on July 1, 2024. An autopsy confirmed drowning as the cause of death, with visible injuries on his neck and head. Toxicology results showed high alcohol content in his blood.

After the incident, Legha removed his shirt to avoid detection, contacted a housemate to retrieve his backpack, and returned home only at 8am, when he was arrested.

Legha claimed Singh had grabbed his bangle and insulted his mother, but police found no evidence.

CNA reported prosecutor Jheong Siew Yin as saying Legha was aware the victim was intoxicated and that “it was reasonably foreseeable that the push would cause grievous hurt.” 

She highlighted aggravating factors, including Legha’s intoxication, the unprovoked push, and his failure to help.

Defence lawyer Simran Kaur Sandhu sought 30 months’ jail, arguing that both men were drunk and that no weapon was used. She described the shove as “a generic push.”

Legha could have been jailed for up to five years, fined up to S$10,000 (RM33,000), or both.