Bains acquitted in Ludhiana passport office trespass case

A Ludhiana court has acquitted MLA Simarjit Singh Bains in a case of trespassing and deterring a public servant at passport office after prosecution failed to prove the charges

A Ludhiana court on Friday acquitted Lok Insaaf Party president and MLA Simarjit Singh Bains in a case of trespassing and deterring a public servant after the prosecution failed to prove the charges against him.

Lok Insaaf Party president and MLA Simarjit Singh Bains.

The case was registered on the complaint of an assistant passport officer on April 24, 2018. The complainant had alleged that Bains along with his armed gunmen and 10-15 supporters forcibly entered the Passport Seva Kendra in Ludhiana.

The FIR stated that Bains and his supporters began making videos on their mobile phones, following which applicants got scared and started leaving the office.

While the prosecution examined 15 witnesses, the defence counsel examined three witnesses. During arguments, defence counsel Vijay Verma said that Bains is an elected representative and he had received a call about certain agents duping people at the passport office.

“It was in his capacity as an MLA that Bains had entered the office and met the assistant passport officer. There was no forcible entry or any trespassing as claimed by the prosecution. It was all done to malign his image,” Verma said to court during final arguments.

The court also acquitted the MLA’s assistant Maninder Singh Mani and driver Ranjit Singh.