A WOMAN kicked up a ruckus in open court after she was charged yesterday with disorderly behaviour outside a restaurant in Little India.
R. Angelina, 40, was arrested last Saturday for creating a scene at Fakruddin restaurant.
After the charge was read to her yesterday, Angelina spoke up, claiming that the restaurant in Desker Road had refused to allow her and a trans-sexual friend onto its premises last Saturday.
She recounted angrily how she was told by an employee of the restaurant that the place belonged to a Bangladeshi, and was meant only for tourists, men and women.
She asked why she and her friend could not patronise the restaurant since they were paying customers. "I got so angry I took his glasses. I broke his glasses and poured the water in the restaurant," she said.
She alleged that the man took a chair and hit her. She called the police, who came and arrested her for shouting and gesticulating outside the restaurant.
"It is not fair. I was in the lock-up for one day. He also took a chair and hit me. In the end, I got caught," she said.
Saying "I agree completely with what my client says", her lawyer M. Ravi told the court that he would take up the matter in the High Court for "determining of trans-sexual rights".
But even while her lawyer was speaking, Angelina found it difficult to stay silent. Told by the policemen on duty in the courtroom to be quiet, she shouted back at them, telling them to be quiet and hurling abusive words at them.
Mr Ravi then told his client: "Darling... you've got to behave yourself. Relax."
District Judge Ronald Gwee told him to advise his client not to use vulgar language. "Madam, you'd better keep quiet. Enough. Thank you," said the judge.
The case was adjourned for further mention on March 31.
If convicted of behaving in a disorderly manner in a public place, she could be fined up to $1,000 or jailed for up to one month.
