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Tangaraju Suppiah Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 16, 2026 • 4 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth1977

Age46 Years (at time of death)

BirthplaceTaman Jurong, Singapore

ProfessionCriminal (Drug Trafficker)

NationalitySingaporean

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - Suppiah; Mother - Letchumi; Brother - Ramesh; Sister - Leelavathy

Tangaraju Suppiah Biography

Tangaraju Suppiah was a Singaporean of Indian origin who was convicted under Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act for his role in a 2013 cannabis trafficking案件.

Early life and background

Tangaraju Suppiah was born in 1977 and grew up in Taman Jurong, Singapore. He was raised by his mother and spent his childhood living in a single-room house. He attended Merlimau Primary School but left formal education after completing the 5th standard.

Known by the nickname Appu, Tangaraju was of Indian heritage and practised Hinduism. His family included his father, Suppiah, his mother, Letchumi, a brother named Ramesh and a sister named Leelavathy. Extended relatives mentioned in records include nieces and nephews and several uncles.

Career

Tangaraju’s life included lengthy encounters with Singapore’s criminal justice system related to drug use and trafficking. He began using cannabis in his early teens and as a minor was sent to a children’s correctional facility on drug possession charges. At 16 he was imprisoned again after a positive urine test and later received an eight-year sentence, of which he served more than five years before being released on parole in 2013.

With financial support from an uncle, Tangaraju set up a small provisional shop (minimart) in Tuas. His sister assisted with running the shop. After release on parole he was required to submit to regular urine testing; records note that he was arrested in January 2014 after missing some of those tests and spent additional time in custody in connection with further drug-related matters.

Criminal case and trial

The case that ultimately led to Tangaraju’s execution began with events in September 2013. Malaysian national Mogan Valo entered Singapore carrying almost 1 kg of cannabis and was intercepted by Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers. CNB investigators devised an operation in which Valo cooperated to identify the intended recipient. That operation led to the arrest of an associate, Suresh s/o Subramaniam, and phone records later connected two phone numbers used in the episode to Tangaraju.

Tangaraju was arrested in 2014. Prosecutors offered a series of plea bargains—ranging from 20 years down to 12 years’ imprisonment—which Tangaraju rejected, maintaining that there was no direct evidence tying him to the package or to payment for it. His defence argued that the friend who was arrested at the exchange fit the description provided by Valo and suggested the friend had been framed to avoid the death penalty.

His trial opened on 3 October 2017 at the High Court of Singapore. Defence counsel were Ram Goswami and Cheng Kim Kuan; prosecution counsel were Anandan Bala and Kee Yongwen Kenneth. The trial examined telephone records, witness testimony and circumstances surrounding the arranged handover. Suresh testified about his drinking friendship with Tangaraju and about calls the night of the incident; Valo had already pleaded guilty in a separate proceeding and received a lengthy prison term and corporal punishment for trafficking a smaller quantity of cannabis.

On 9 October 2018, Justice Hoo Sheau Peng found Tangaraju guilty under Section 12 of the Misuse of Drugs Act and sentenced him to death, concluding that circumstantial evidence pointed to his role as the main conspirator. The judge also referenced statements made during initial interrogation. Tangaraju appealed; on 14 August 2019 the Court of Appeal dismissed his challenge. He later pursued additional legal actions, including lawsuits relating to prisoners’ correspondence and access to lawyers; those actions were dismissed. He mounted further appeals and argued before the Court of Appeal himself, but his conviction and sentence were upheld.

Public profile

During the period leading to his execution Tangaraju’s case drew attention from family members and human rights campaigners. His sister, Leelavathy, publicly protested and worked with activists who appealed to the Singapore government to halt the planned execution. Tangaraju spent the final years after his appeal on death row at Changi Prison Complex.

Latest updates

Tangaraju Suppiah was executed at Changi Prison Complex on 26 April 2023. He was 46 years old at the time of his death. The cause of death is recorded as execution by long drop hanging. A notice of execution was sent to his sister on 19 April 2023, and public appeals were made on his behalf in the days preceding the execution.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Tangaraju Suppiah, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Career Highlights

  1. Convicted under Section 12 of the Misuse of Drugs Act for trafficking more than 1 kg of cannabis
  2. Sentenced to death by the High Court of Singapore on 9 October 2018; appeals dismissed
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Tangaraju Suppiah born?

Tangaraju Suppiah was born on 1977.

What is Tangaraju Suppiah known for?

Tangaraju Suppiah is known for criminal (Drug Trafficker).

What is Tangaraju Suppiah’s marital status?

Tangaraju Suppiah's marital status is listed as Unmarried.