FORMER Singaporean lawyer Gopalan Pallichadath Nair, 58, was arrested on Friday for disorderly behaviour in public and for using abusive words against police officer.

Responding to media queries, a police spokesman confirmed that Nair was arrested yesterday at about 10.45pm at the junction of Race Course Road and Bukit Timah Road.

Plainclothes officers on their routine anti-crime operations in the area heard a loud knock on their marked Police vehicle when it stopped at the traffic light road junction of Race Course Road and Bukit Timah.

The officers then approached the man and identified themselves, but he then turned abusive and refused to give his particulars, as he claimed he was a US citizen and said the Police had no right to check on him.

The officers repeatedly warned him to stop his verbal abuse, but he continued to be uncooperative, and even used a racist slur against one of the Malay officers.

Very soon the commotion attracted a crowd of over 25 onlookers, which police said 'created a risk of public disorder due to the inflammatory remarks used by the subject'.

After repeated warnings, the police officers had no choice but to arrest him for disorderly behaviour and for using abusive words towards public servants.

But he put up a fierce struggle, sustaining slight bruises and breaking both the police officer's and his own glasses during the arrest.

It was only after his arrest that the man subsequently disclosed his full name as Gopalan Nair at the station to the officers.

Following police procedures, a medical examination by a doctor was conducted in the police station and a blood sample was taken with Gopalan Nair's consent to analyse for the presence of any alcohol.

Gopalan Nair has since been released on police bail.

If convicted, he faces a fine of up to $5,000, or up to a year in jail for using abusing or insulting words on a public servant; and a fine of up to $1,000 or up to a month in jail for disorderly behaviour.

Gopalan Nair is currently facing another two charges for insulting two High Court Judges in seperate cases.

These charges relate to an email sent by him to Justice Lai Siu Chiu in 2006, and a posting on his blog relating to Justice Belinda Ang in May 2008.

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