Who is Ramu Palani Velu, an Indian-origin businessman in Singapore, who left 400 workers unpaid and attempted to escape?

400 Indian and Bangladeshi workers in Singapore were left in a lurch when the director, who did not pay them wages for months, went untraceable. The Singaporean businessman was identified as Indian-origin Ramu Palani Velu who was brought back to Singapore to face investigation. Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash said Velu returned to Singapore on June 26 and was helping the probe. The minister said he surrendered his passport.

Singapore citizen, director of 7 companies

Ramu Palani Velu is a director of VVR Plant Engineering, SK Industries and KPA Engineering – the three companies under investigation for huge dies – and four other companies in Singapore. The man is a permanent resident of Singapore.These firms are listed as providing air-conditioning, plumbing and building services.The Singapore government stepped in and said they would employ the staff in equivalent sectors.The incident came to light when droves of workers started protesting, demanding their wages for more than two months. The number of protesters only grew and it was revealed that around 400 migrant workers were affected. The Hindu Endowment Board and Hindu Advisory Board, as well as temples, provided some goodie bags to help the workers.Velu’s registered office rented out, previous company director has know idea who Velu isThe Straits Times reported that they visited the registered address of Velu in a private estate in Hillview after the protests broke out and found out that the unit had been rented out to foreigners for the past two years. A security guard at the condominium said several creditors have been turning up at the estate in recent months with claims of unpaid loans and defaults on payments. A doctor now lives in the apartment.Ramu previously registered his businesses to a flat in Marine Crescent, where a lawyer’s letter addressed to him was placed at the front door.Ramu took over VVR Plant Engineering, formerly called VMD Integrated, in 2025. The company was previously owned by Indian nationals Ravi Victor and Ravi Vijayarani, and their Singaporean son, Ravi Martin Abraham.Martin said Velu was introduced to them by a third party and they did not have much idea about who he was — they needed to sell the company. “Even my father is not sure who Ramu is. We had a family crisis and needed to sell the company. My father’s friend introduced Ramu,” Martin said to Straits Times.“When we were selling the company to him, he said he didn’t need the workers. We had 15 to 20 workers then. I’m not sure how much my dad sold the company (for), but it was not for a lot of money,” Martin said.