Someone had told him to try meeting the English language journalists. “They say senior leaders and bureaucrats read English papers,” an almost frightened Rajinder Singh told me. “That is not true, but tell me everything. You are among friends,” I assured him. The tale that Rajinder had to tell was heart rending. Fearing the wrath of MLA Jasbir Singh Dimpa, his family was unable to even sleep in their own house. Dimpa was a wanted accused. But was attending Assembly sessions. And now the state was busy withdrawing the case against him as he cocked a snook at justice delivery system. The Indian Express published it on front page, but when Dimpa called me next day, his voice was steady: “You have wasted a lot of ink.” Eventually, I followed up the case, but learnt one thing. Perhaps Dimpa knew better how the system worked.
 

Court says MLA Dimpa is absconding, Govt decides to withdraw case

S P Singh

Rich and powerful, but can't get off the hook in a case of house trespass, causing grievous hurt, rioting with deadly weapons? Here’s advice: Avoid the courts, spurn all summons, keep dithering, till you are elected an MLA and your own party’s government is in place. 

Then get the case against you withdrawn.   

From here onwards, it becomes even simpler. You can browbeat the fellow outright. Let

law take your own course. 

Congress MLA Jasbir Singh Dimpa knows it too well.

Gradually, the notice pasted by court's baillifs on his front door will wash away with rains. Frustrated neighbours have been left to bear the brunt of a triumphant law maker.  

In a vintage 1998 case wherein Dimpa is facing accusations of trespassing, beating up women and men of the family of his Akali rival and neighbour Rajinder Singh, demolishing a wall, and rioting with deadly weapons and a group of toughs in tow has taken a most serious turn now with the Punjab government officially directing the Amritsar district magistrate to “initiate proceedings to withdraw the case.”  

Dimpa is facing a trial following an FIR by Raiya Akali Dal general secretary Rajinder Singh after an October 1998 altercation over a common wall between the their cheek-by-jowl houses. Facing accusations under sections 452 (trespass for hurting and assaulting), 427 (mischief/damage), 506 (criminal intimidation, threat to cause death), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 148 (rioting with lethal weapons) and 149 (common intent by a group), Dimpa, who previously headed Punjab Youth Congress, is now facing arrest on orders of the court.    

Dimpa's mother Satwant Kaur, his nephew and several other associates were named in the FIR, but during the trial, Dimpa kept on seeking exemptions from personal appearance on one or other other ground, thus delaying the justice delivery system.  

Court records and other privileged documents in possession of The Indian

Express show that after two years of such hide-and-seek with the law, Dimpa tried to change its course when, thanks to his influence with the police, he and his mother were put in ‘column number 2’, police parlance for certifying that the person is not required at all in the case.    

But the blatant attempt was blocked by the court.    

“The police officials, for reasons best known to them, have shown the accused in column number 2...however, a prima facie case is made out against (them)...therefore, under section 319 of the CrPC all the accused namely Satwant Kaur, Jasbir Singh Dimpa etc are ordered to be summoned,” sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM) Baba Bakala wrote in his order of February 20, 2000.    

After Dimpa had ignored the summons umpteen times, the SDJM issued non-bailable warrants of arrest on October 25 that year, again on December 11, then January 17, 2001, again on February 5, February 26, March 17 and so on.  

Somewhere along the line, Dimpa tried another strategem. A head constable “caught” and released him with a Rs 5000 bail bond! The SDJM had to ask SSP Majitha to take action against the head constable “who has no authority to enlarge the accused Dimpa on bail.”  

Helpless complainants watched the law's mills grinding ever so slow, but persevered. Amritsar Sessions judge court, on April 19 2002, threw out an application by Dimpa seeking bail.    

“But all of this has not stopped Dimpa from regularly threatening us. We fear threat to our lives. We have seen his terror in Raiya during municipal council, and spending our lives under constant fear,” Rajinder Singh told The Indian Express. He even met Governor JFR Jacob alongwith state BJP chief BL Rinwa and apprised him of the situation.    

For four days now, Dimpa has remained inaccessible. 

But Rajinder Singh is now afraid that his long battle may now go in vain. “I am pitted against the entire state government now. For how long can I fight on?” he said.    

Even as SDJM's court has initiated proceedings to declare Dimpa, an MLA, as proclaimed offender, and notices have been pasted on his front door and at the Lidher bus stand in his native town, Home Ministry's Justice Department has asked DM, Amritsar to withdraw the case. “We have studied the case and have decided to withdraw it,” is the terse explanation in the missive.    

September 10, 2002

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