Police investigating condo resident Ramesh Erramalli for harassing security guard: MHA

SINGAPORE — The police are investigating a report made against an Eight Riversuites resident for the offence of "intentionally causing harassment to a security officer", the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 30). 

The MHA statement, issued at around 11pm, identified the resident as 44-year-old Ramesh Erramalli.

In a video that was posted online last Saturday morning, a resident who identifies himself as "Ramesh" is seen verbally abusing a security guard. 

Their dispute was over a rule by the condominium’s management, which imposed a S$10 fee for visitors who park their cars there after 11pm. The condominium is located in the Whampoa area close to Boon Keng MRT Station. 

The resident’s guest had gone over at about 10.30pm for Deepavali festivities. The video shows the security officer asking what time the visitor would leave, followed by the resident questioning if guests could not visit him after 11pm on Deepavali.

“I bought your f***ing property for S$1.5 million, you know? This is S$1.5 million, okay?” the resident says. After the security officer tells him he would let the management know of the situation, the resident replies: “Tell the management to f*** off.”

Following the argument, the security guard involved filed a police report. Separately, on Tuesday, the police said in response to TODAY's queries that the resident has also made a police report for harassment. 

In its statement on Wednesday, MHA said that it takes a stern view towards "any abusive behaviour against security officers who are carrying out their duties". 

The video of the incident has been circulated and commented on by many online users, while personal information on the resident has been widely shared online. Some online users had speculated that the resident is a new citizen while others questioned how he got his Singapore citizenship. 

MHA said in its statement that Mr Erramalli is "married to a local-born Singapore citizen". "He obtained his Singapore citizenship on the sponsorship of his wife, under the Family Ties scheme," the ministry added.

Many who are active online have slammed Mr Erramalli's behaviour, while others called on his company, JP Morgan, to fire him. A petition urging the multinational investment bank to do so has gathered more than 31,000 signatures as of 12.30am on Wednesday.

JP Morgan said last Sunday that it is looking into the matter as its employee was purportedly involved.

On Tuesday, an email — signed off by JP Morgan Singapore's senior country officer Edmund Lee — was sent to all employees in the Singapore office.

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The internal note, which was seen by TODAY, told staff members that they are “expected to demonstrate the highest standards, including respect and dignity for others, in our behaviour and actions inside and outside of the workplace”.

It also reminded the employees that all of them have a “shared responsibility for preserving and building” on the company’s “strong reputation”. The email, however, made no specific reference to the incident or the resident in question.