P Sathia Seelan, 52, was charged with deceiving two officers of the organisation with a document containing a list of names and signatures of participants for three courses, under nine companies, between Dec 7, 2020, and June 12, 2021, that were never conducted.
His act, according to the charge, prompted Socso to make a payment of RM832,000 to his company, Global Education Network Sdn Bhd.
Bernama reported that the offence was allegedly committed at the Employment Services Division, Employment Insurance System Office Tower, Socso, in Putrajaya, between Dec 23, 2020, and Jan 23, 2021.
The charges fall under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating, which provides for imprisonment from one to 10 years, with whipping and a fine, if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor Siti Amirah Ali proposed bail of RM100,000 with one surety for Sathia Seelan, taking into account that the offence involved more than RM800,000.
“In addition, we are requesting that the accused surrender his passport to the court, report to the Putrajaya MACC office once a month and not interfere with prosecution witnesses,” she said.
Lawyer R Babu Naidu, who represented Sathia Seelan, applied for bail of RM40,000 on the grounds that his married client had cooperated well throughout the investigation against him.
Judge Suzana Hussin fixed bail at RM60,000 in one surety and allowed the conditions requested by the prosecution.
Meanwhile, unemployed R Nanthagopal, 43, pleaded not guilty to 17 counts of abetting Sathia Seelan, in another court before judge Rosli Ahmad.
The charges against Nanthagopal were brought under Section 420 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 109 of the same code, which provides for a prison sentence of not less than one year and a maximum of 10 years with whipping and a fine, if convicted.
Siti Amirah again proposed bail of RM100,000 with conditions similar to those for Sathia Seelan. Babu Naidu, who also represented Nanthagopal, applied for RM40,000 bail on the grounds that his client was married, had three unemployed children and suffered from high blood pressure and heart disease.
Rosli allowed Nanthagopal bail of RM60,000 with one surety, and also the conditions requested by the prosecution.