MLA Simarjit Singh Bains acquitted in passport office case

Legal Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 29

The Court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Harsimranjit Singh has acquitted Lok Insaaf Party chief MLA Simarjit Singh Bains from the charges of forcefully entering the passport office and obstructing employees from discharging their official duties.

According to prosecution, the MLA entered the passport office in the city on April 24, 2018, at about 12:50 pm along with an armed gunman and 10-15 other persons. He entered forcefully and trespassed into the premises of the office without any appointment.

The case

According to prosecution, the MLA entered the passport office in Ludhiana on April 24, 2018, at about 12:50 pm along with an armed gunman and 10-15 other persons. He entered forcefully and trespassed into the premises of the office without any appointment.

Passport applicants, especially senior citizens, women and children who were waiting for their turn got scared and started fleeing from the office due to his forceful entry into the office. Staff members of the office were also in panic.

In September 2018, the Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh, through its Deputy Passport Officer Amit Kumar Rawat had filed a civil case against Bains. Then the local court has restrained the MLA from entering the passport office with weapons without due appointment or permission, as per the standing instructions of the Passport Sewa Kendra and not to disrupt the work of the office.

Passing the order, the Court of Civil Judge (junior division) Navreet Kaur clarified that Bains could enter the office legally for his official or personal work but he would not take weapons inside the office.

It was claimed in the petition that the defendant (Bains) and his armed PSOs manhandled the security guard. The passport office contains delicate and sensitive information and personal data of many applicants.

The staff requested them not to do such illegal acts and not to enter the office without prior permission and appointment but they refused and threatened to come again in the same manner, says the petiton.