Man jailed for leading cops on high-speed chase, helping friend in sextortion plan
A man who helped his friend to extort money from a teen and then led police on a high-speed chase was jailed for four weeks on Friday (5 April).
Nitesh Naidu Raj Kumar, 24, will also be banned from driving for two years after his release from prison.
He pleaded guilty in the State Courts to one charge each of harassment and reckless driving.
On 17 January last year, Nitesh’s friend Naveenthiran Thevathas, 21, got hold of a video showing a 17-year-old male and an 18-year-old female having sex.
Naveenthiran hatched a plot to extort money. On 14 February last year, he sent an anonymous text message to the male victim, threatening to send the video to the victims’ families and also post it on Facebook. He asked the male victim for $50,000.
The victim reported the matter to the police the same day. He managed to raise $2,000 in $50 denominations.
Police officers prepared a sting operation to nab Naveenthiran, whose identity was at the time unknown. The officers marked the victim’s cash with serial numbers.
High-speed chase
The next evening, the male victim and Naveenthiran agreed to meet. Naveenthiran then met up with Nitesh and told him about his sextortion scheme.
Naveenthiran got the male victim to drop off his bag of money along Hillcrest Road and leave the area. Nitesh then drove Naveenthiran in a rented van to pick up the money.
Shortly after, Nitesh led police on a high-speed chase for about 13 minutes before the officers lost sight of the van on the PIE towards the BKE.
Among the roads the van sped along were Watten Estate Road, Dunearn Road and Adam Road. Nitesh also beat several traffic lights.
Nitesh eventually parked the van at a carpark near Block 339 Woodlands Avenue 1. He and Naveenthiran were both arrested there and the marked notes were found in the van.
Naveenthiran, 21, was last year jailed for four years for the extortion as well as a separate theft.
The maximum punishment for harassment is a fine of up to $5,000 and up to six months’ jail.
The maximum penalty for reckless driving is a fine of up to $3,000 and up to one year in jail for a first-time offender. Subsequent offenders face a fine of up to $5,000 and up to two years’ jail.
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