NS defaulter jailed for remaining overseas after exit permit expired

He was arrested at airport after staying away for 5½ years longer than allowed

- Selina Lum

A 28-year-old Singaporean who defaulted on his national service obligations by remaining overseas even after his permit to do so had expired will have to serve 14 weeks in jail after his appeal against his conviction and sentence was dismissed on March 19.

A High Court panel of three judges rejected the man's claim that he did not know he needed an exit permit to remain in India for his studies, because his late mother had been handling all the correspondence with the Central Manpower Base (CMPB) until late 2018.

Naresh Kumar Nagesvaran, who was born in Singapore, had left for India with his mother and sister in 2004 when he was seven years old. The court was told that his Singaporean father had abandoned the family.

In 2009, when he turned 13 years old, a notice was sent to his last-known address in Singapore to inform him of his NS liability. It stated that he had to apply for a valid exit permit if he intended to remain overseas for longer than three months.

Naresh Kumar subsequently obtained exit permits for two consecutive periods, which allowed him to remain outside of Singapore.

The first, which was valid from Jan 30, 2010 to Jan 28, 2012, was applied for online.

The second exit permit was applied for over the counter at the CMPB in Singapore on Jan 3, 2012.