Law Society applies for order to determine M Ravi’s mental health

The Law Society of Singapore (LSS) has applied for a court order to have lawyer M Ravi checked by a registered medical practitioner to determine if he is fit to practise law in the city-state.

Based on the originating summons filed and served on Ravi on 14 August, the Society wants him to be given 14 days to comply, or else have his practising certificate suspended.

The Society also requests for Ravi’s certificate to be suspended if the medical report declares him unfit to practise law.

According to Ravi’s affidavit dated 24 August, the lawyer is, however, requesting for The High Court to “dismiss the application of the LSS with costs and/or strike out the application” on the grounds that the orders are “unnecessary, redundant and otiose”.

The 43-year-old lawyer explained in the document that he has “always complied” with the Society’s requests with regard to his mental health and he will “continue to do so”.

In addition, the human rights lawyer’s affidavit stated that he has already seen another psychiatrist, known only as Dr Winslow, and has even submitted a medical report to the Society on 10 August.

Ravi’s affidavit described the Society’s actions as “spiteful, vindictive and pursued with rancour”, with the motive to “intimidate (him) into submission” as well as to “scandalise and embarrass” him.

In light of this, Ravi’s lawyer, Louis Joseph, said that the former will be seeking even higher damages in his defamation action, raising his previous demand to $32 million.

In July, Ravi served letters of complaint against Law Society’s Wong Meng Meng and Wong Siew Hong over their actions which questioned whether Ravi’s was fit to practise law.

Earlier that month, Wong Siew Hong had interrupted court proceedings with a letter allegedly from Ravi’s then-psychiatrist, Dr Calvin Fones, in an attempt to stop him from carrying out his legal duties in court.