Jaspreet Singh leaves court yesterday after escaping a jail sentence.
- Indian set fire to his car to get payout
- Burnt himself, blamed racist thugs
- Calls for him to kicked out of country
AN INDIAN who falsely blamed racist thugs for setting fire to his car - and himself - won't go to jail.
But there are calls for Jaspreet Singh to be deported for stoking international tensions over attacks on Indians.
Singh walked from court yesterday displaying the scars of his botched insurance fraud.
His plot blew up in his face when he doused his car with unleaded petrol and set it ablaze with a gas stove lighter. He suffered burns to 30 per cent of his body, including to his neck, face and scalp.
"Tell him to grab his petrol can and take it home," said Steve Medcraft, president of People Against Lenient Sentencing. "He tarnished Australia's reputation and tried to rip off the system.
"He most definitely should be kicked out of the country."
Singh, who lives with his wife on a spousal visa, pleaded guilty to attempting to obtain property by deception and making a false report to police.
Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard yesterday that Singh was in dire financial trouble when he torched his car, worth about $8000, in Essendon on January 9.
"(He) failed to consider atmospheric conditions and volatility of petroleum vapour, so upon engaging the flame . . . a vapour explosion occurred," Senior Constable Luke Devlin told the court.
On January 27, Singh lodged an insurance claim. He told police a group of men had attacked him.
Senior Constable Devlin said it was an aggravating factor that Singh made his false report when tension between Australia and India was at a high.
Defence lawyer Paul McClure said his client's desperate plan had "backfired".
Deputy Chief Magistrate Felicity Broughton said Singh's crime was a stupid "premeditated enterprise" that brought shame to himself, his family and his community.
She sentenced Singh to eight months' jail, but suspended it for two years.
Singh refused to comment outside the court.
