The Singapore legal community was met with somber news this week following the passing of Mr. Dhanaraj James Selvaraj, a 61-year-old law firm director who died just one day before his scheduled court trial. His death on October 22, 2025, brought an immediate end to his legal proceedings, as the charges against him were formally abated the next day.
Mr. Dhanaraj, formerly a director at the James Selvaraj Law Firm, had been accused of misappropriating S$4,000 while acting as attorney for a client, Mr. Velmurugan Ramesh, between March and April 2020. He also faced a separate charge under the Criminal Procedure Code for allegedly entering into an improper agreement in 2019 with Mr. David Raj Daniel Krishnan, promising indemnity for a bail bond liability involving the same client.
Court documents did not disclose further details of Mr. Velmurugan’s case or clarify the relationships among the three men. Mr. David Raj Daniel Krishnan’s matter remains before the courts.
News of Mr. Dhanaraj’s passing has prompted expressions of condolence from colleagues and observers within the legal fraternity. Many note that regardless of the unresolved allegations, his death represents a loss to his family, former clients, and peers.
As of October 24, his name no longer appears in the Ministry of Law’s official directory of practicing lawyers.
