SINGAPORE — Transport Minister S Iswaran and Hotel Properties Limited (HPL) managing director Ong Beng Seng were arrested by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) on Tuesday (July 11), CPIB said on Friday. 

Both men were released on bail, the bureau said in a reply to queries from TODAY. 

As part of their bail conditions, both Mr Iswaran and Mr Ong's passports were impounded, it added.

The arrests came a day before CPIB announced on Wednesday that Mr Iswaran was assisting the bureau with investigations into a case it has uncovered. 

On the same day, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that he had asked Mr Iswaran to go on leave of absence, and that Mr Chee Hong Tat would be acting Transport Minister. 

Mr Ong's arrest was disclosed by HPL in a Singapore Exchange filing on Friday.

In its filing, HPL also said that Mr Ong, 77, was travelling abroad on Friday and that his passport would be surrendered to the authorities upon his return to Singapore on a date it did not specify.

In its statement on Friday, CPIB said that "subjects on bail can however make requests to travel overseas" and that these requests would be assessed on a case-by-case basis. 

CPIB said that it had "assessed and acceded" to Mr Ong’s request to travel overseas.

"Mr Ong’s bail quantum was also increased to S$100,000," said CPIB. "Upon his return, Ong is required to report to CPIB and surrender his passport to the bureau."

It did not state the original bail amount.

CPIB said it is unable to provide further details as investigations are ongoing.