Padang Serai Member of Parliament N Gobalakrishnan was fined RM1,000 by the Sessions Court today after he pleaded guilty to criminal intimidation of a police officer during an illegal

assembly two years ago.

Judge Hasbi Hasan also ordered Gobalakrishnan of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to be jailed for seven weeks if he failed to pay the fine.

NONE Gobalakrishnan ( right ) committed the offence during the assembly organised by Hindraf in front of the Sri Subramaniar temple in

Batu Caves, Gombak at about 3am on Nov 25, 2007.

He was charged under Section 143 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of six months or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

In mitigation, Gobalakrishnan's lawyer G K Ganesan asked the court to pass a lenient sentence on the grounds that his client was not a member of parliament then and was only elected in the General Election on March 8, 2008.

Deputy public prosecutor Idham Abdul Ghani, however, asked the court to pass a deterrent sentence in the interest of the public.

Mechanic B. Varatharaju, 34, was also fined RM1,000 by the same court after he pleaded guilty to the same charge.

Gobalakrishnan and Varatharaju were among 66 individuals who were alleged to be involved in the illegal assembly.

Of the total, 57 had changed their pleas to guilty and were fined between RM750 and RM850, while the rest claimed trial.

- Bernama