Popular Tamil actor fined for mischief

Local Tamil film actor S.Gana Pragasam was fined RM800 by the Magistrate's Court here today for committing mischief and causing damage to a RM35 plastic chair at a guard house of a residential area last week.

Magistrate Salamiah Salleh meted out the punishment after the actor, who uses the stage name Gana, pleaded guilty to the charge.

The offence was committed at a guard house of Taman Perumahan Atillia and Allisia, Jalan PJU 1A/1, Ara Damansara here at 10.20 pm last Aug 4.

Gana, who has four sons, was ordered to be jailed 14 days if he failed to pay the fine. He paid the fine.

The charge, under Section 427 of the Penal Code, provides an imprisonment for up to two years, or fine, or any two of the punishment, upon conviction.

The actor, who is also a producer and director, had acted in several films, including "Appalam", directed by Afdlin Shauki, and "Naan Oru Malaysian (I am Malaysian), which is directed by Panchacharam Nalliah, also known as Pansha.

Salamiah, when meting out the fine, said it was not because of the damage caused by the actor, but to serve as a lesson for him to control his temper.

She said it was only over a simple matter.

"Why destroy your whole life by having a criminal record ... because of this, your name is in the record. The good reputation that you have safeguarded all the while has been tarnished," she added.

Gana, who was represented by lawyer Puvarasan B R, told the court that he had been staying at the residential area for 10 years and the incident happened because he was stressed by the action of a Nepalese security there for asking him to enter through the visitor's lane.

He said it happened because of communication problem.

According to the facts of the case, Gana was asked to enter through the visitor's lane as he did not bring along the access card to the housing area.

Irked by the action of the guard, Gana got out of his car and broke a plastic chair which was in the guard house.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Siti Fatimah Yahya.