A deliveryman was fined RM2,000 for assaulting a sports journalist in Bangsar last November, with the court ordering three months’ jail if he fails to pay.
KUALA LUMPUR: A deliveryman was fined RM2,000 by the Magistrate’s Court here after pleading guilty to assaulting sports journalist Haresh Deol.
Magistrate Aina Azahra Arifin ordered R Krishnan, 37, to serve three months’ imprisonment if he fails to pay the fine, which he subsequently settled.
Krishnan was charged alongside another individual who remains at large for the offence committed on November 25, 2025.
The assault occurred in front of the Tanjung Balai Group Building on Jalan Telawi 3 in Bangsar between 3.10 pm and 3.32 pm.
He was charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum penalty of one year’s jail, a RM2,000 fine, or both.
Based on the case facts, Haresh was approached by the accused and another man as he walked near a car park at Bangsar Village 3.
Haresh, a co-founder and editor at news portal Twentytwo13, felt unsafe and attempted to flee.
The men chased him, causing him to collide with a pedestrian and fall onto the road shoulder before assaulting him.
One of the men warned him not to disturb his wife, and both fled when Haresh asked for clarification.
The victim pursued the pair and took several photographs of them.
The entire altercation was captured on CCTV and witnessed by members of the public.
Haresh sought help at a nearby police post and later received treatment at the University of Malaya Medical Centre.
A medical examination confirmed he sustained soft tissue injuries and bruising to his nose, earlobe and chest.
Deputy public prosecutor Hench Goh urged the court to impose a commensurate sentence, citing public interest and the need for deterrence.
“The victim was attacked and assaulted in broad daylight,” he submitted.
“This act instils fear in the public, who may feel unsafe walking in public spaces.”
The accused’s lawyer, Mohamad Salihen Mastor, requested a minimum fine for his client.
He cited his client’s lack of fixed income, his responsibility for five children and his mother, and his clean prior record and remorse.
