Ludhiana court issues arrest warrant against MLA Bains in rape case

The court also directed the Ludhiana police to arrest and produce MLA Simarjit Bains by December 1 in the rape case

Non-bailable warrant (NBW) with direction for arrest by December 1 has been issued against Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) chief and Atam Nagar (Ludhiana) MLA Simarjit Singh Bains and other accused in the alleged rape case of 44-year-old woman. The next date of hearing is on December 1.

The court of judicial magistrate had earlier issued bailable warrants against MLA Simarjit Bains, but the police in their reply stated that they went to serve the notice to the accused, but he was not present at home (HT Photo)

Police have already submitted a charge sheet in the said case in the court.

The court of judicial magistrate had earlier issued bailable warrants against the MLA, but the police in their reply stated that they went to serve the notice to the accused, but he was not present at home.

Former MLA and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader advocate Harish Rai Dhanda, the victim’s counsel, said they submitted an application in the court on Thursday and requested the court to time-bound directions to a particular police officer to arrest the accused. Dhanda said the police are hand-in-glove with the accused and they made an excuse in the charge sheet that arresting Bains could cause a law-and-order situation in the city.

The victim, a widow, had alleged that she was ‘raped’ by MLA Bains multiple times, and had been protesting for eight months prior to the registration of the FIR.

The victim has also alleged that the MLA and his men had promised to help her in a property dispute, but started exploiting her sexually instead. After the police failed to register a case initially, the woman approached the court.