Lok Insaf Party MLA Simarjeet Singh Bains. (File Photo) The Ludhiana court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Harsimrajit Kaur, on Friday passed an order declaring former Lok Insaf Party (LIP) MLA Simarjeet Singh Bains, as a ‘proclaimed person’ for failing to appear in the court in a 2020 case registered against him for allegedly flouting Covid norms.
The court order reads, “Proclamation issued for the service of accused Simarjit Singh Bains has been received back duly effected. Statement of serving constable HC Naresh Kumar has also been recorded regarding execution of proclamation under Section 82 of CrPC. Period of 30 days has elapsed. Neither accused Simarjit Singh nor anyone else has appeared in the court on his behalf. Hence, accused Simarjit Singh is declared as ‘proclaimed person’.”
The court, however, has accepted an application for exemption moved by the counsel of Simarjeet’s elder brother and former MLA, Balwinder Singh Bains, a co-accused in the same case.
The case will now come up for hearing on April 22 for prosecution evidence.
Earlier on February 24, the court had written to division number 5 police station SHO of Ludhiana to book Bains under Section 229-A (failure by a person released on bail or bond to appear in court) of IPC. The court had also ordered issuance of proclamation notice against Bains for April 7 under Section 82 of CrPC and directed him to appear before the court within 30 days of effecting proclamation against him.
The court in its written order, dated February 24, said: “Non bailable warrants of accused Simarjeet Singh Bains again received back unexecuted, with perfunctory report that accused could not be found at home and has gone away in connection with party’s affairs and he will be apprised on his return. Similar report has been received on earlier occasions also. From this report, the court has a reason to believe that accused Simarjeet Singh Bains is intentionally concealing himself to avoid execution of warrants.”
The court further commenting on former MLA’s conduct had said, ” Simarjeet Singh Bains has exhibited defiant and brazen attitude by intentionally not appearing before the court, despite issuance of non bailable warrants of arrest umpteen times. He has been hoodwinking the process of law. The court can certainly take judicial notice of the fact that he has been publicly holding rallies in the recent past, as is evident from media reports. He has been roaming free without any kind of inhibition and with apparent impunity.”
Simarjet Bains, his brother Balwinder, and 29 other LIP workers, were booked in this case on August 11, 2020, for allegedly organising a protest gathering outside the office of Ludhiana police commissioner and flouting Covid norms.
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