SINGAPORE — A 43-year-old operations manager was sentenced to 18 months in jail after he misappropriated more than $100,000 worth of electrical cable from a worksite, selling it to a third party for $45,000. Palanivel Vijayasankar, originally from India, pleaded guilty to criminal breach of trust for his role in the scheme.

His co-conspirator, Andiyappan Palanivelu, who was also employed by the same company, fled Singapore in April and has yet to return to face charges. The two men worked at Donjon, a company that specializes in electrical installation and maintenance. As part of their roles, they were responsible for overseeing projects and procuring necessary materials, which included the electrical cable that was eventually misappropriated.

The Scheme Unfolds

In 2021, Palanivel was tasked with supervising an electrical project at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), with Andiyappan working under him. Their project involved the use of over 5,000 meters of XLPE electrical cable, a durable wire typically used for high-voltage applications in industrial or underground settings.

Between August and October of that year, Palanivel arranged for the procurement of the required cable for the IMH project. However, when the company received an invoice in May 2022, it indicated that only 4,800 meters had been used, despite the fact that 5,312 meters had been ordered. This raised suspicions within the company, and a further inspection of the worksite revealed that only 4,020 meters of the cable had been installed.

A total of 1,292 meters of electrical cable, valued at just over $102,000, was unaccounted for.

Selling the Cable for Profit

When questioned about the missing cable, Palanivel initially attempted to cover up the theft by claiming the excess cable had been used or left unused at the worksite. However, on May 29, after further inquiries, he confessed to one of the company’s directors that he and his colleague had sold the excess cable for personal profit.

Court documents revealed that the two men had discussed selling the surplus cable, ultimately agreeing to split the proceeds equally. Andiyappan sold the cable to a third party between February and April 2022 for $45,000. Palanivel received $22,500 as his share of the illegal sale, which he remitted to India, leaving him unable to make restitution to the company.

Legal Proceedings

Palanivel appeared in court, represented by lawyer Manickavasagam RM Karuppiah Pillai from Manicka & Co. Deputy Public Prosecutor Andrew Chia sought a jail term of 17 to 20 months, arguing that the crime involved premeditation, as Palanivel and his colleague had carefully planned how to sell the excess cable and divide the proceeds.

The court agreed that the crime had been deliberate, involving a significant breach of trust in a supervisory role. Palanivel’s actions not only caused financial loss to his employer but also undermined the integrity of the project he was overseeing.

Palanivel could have faced up to 15 years in jail and a fine for the offense of criminal breach of trust.