Indians Violent Jealousy

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 201, 26 August 1939, Page 8

Indians Violent Jealousy

AN Indian's passionate love for a white woman, and his jealous rage when she left him for another man, provided the motive for as fantastic a "bomb plot" to dispose of a hated rival as fiction could conceive.

Counsel at the Old Bailey described the amazing love story as something like the beginning of a thriller. It was certainly the strangest heard by the common serjeant for many years.

The chief parts were taken by Havi Bhajan Dass, aged 27, described as independent, and a woman whose name was npt disclosed.

Dass pleaded, guilty to what waa legally phrased as "soliciting, encouraging and endeavouring to persuade Caleb Green and Percy Summers to murder Herbert Edward Victor Finch."

On condition that he returned to India at; soon as possible, Dass was bound over for three years.

As the prosecution disclosed the strange story, the common serjeant, Mr. Cecil Whiteley, K.C., asked wonderingly if there were a medical report. He was told that Daes waa quite normal, and Mr. Christmas Humphreys, defending, observed, "Violent jealousy is not known as a mental disease."

Mr. G. B. McClure, prosecuting, explained that Dass for several years had been very friendly with a woman whose name he need not mention. She and Dass lived together for about five years, and then Dass returned to India for a short time.

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During his absence the woman became friendly with Finch, and they went out together. Dass, on his return, tried to get Finch to give up the friendship, and later advertised for "a clever man with car if possible to act as detective. One hour's job."

Caleb Green replied to the advertisement, and Dass told him a story about the wife of a friend being molested by another man. Dass also asked him if he knew anything about bombs and whether he were a member of the I.R.A.

"Perhaps," counsel continued, "he thought he could dispatch a man whom he did not like by means of a bomb and lay it at someone else's door."

Mr. McClure stated that there was some discussion about bombs, and how Finch could lie removed. It was difficult to imagine that anyone in this country could succeed in opening his heart with such an object to a total stranger, but that apparently was done.

Green reported the matter to the police, and Inspector Summers, posing as a confederate, discussed the matter with Dass. Fifty pounds was to pass between them.

Detective-Inspector Percy Summers told the Court that Dass came to England from Lahore, had studied at an aeronautical college and had qualified as a ground engineer.

Mr. Humphreys said that Dass had described his first meeting with the women, known as Valerie, as a caee of love at first sight. They had lived together as husband and wife for four years and were perfectly happy. Two years ago they opened a boarding house at Northolt.

Dass wanted to marry the woman and returned to India to obtain his father's permission and to make financial arrangements. There was a tearful farewell, and while he was away passionate letters passed between the couple. Dass had every reason to suppose that, if he could make the financial arrangements he would marry the woman.

"He worshipped the ground she trod on," Mr. Humphreys continued. "Imagine, therefore, his horror when he returned and she refused to kiss him. It was like a blow in the face."

The boarding house had to close, Dass bee., me almost penniless and halfstarved. He wrote pathetic letters to try get the woman back. Finally, when Dass discovered that Finch and "Valerie" were intimate he became almost beside himself with rage. It was then that he communicated with Green.

Mr. Humphreys submitted that Green never took the matter seriously and played up to Dass. In fact, no details or plan were decided on, and Dass did not have £50. His intent was never clearly formed.

A representative of the office of High Commissioner for India told the common serjeant that there would be no difficulty in finding a return passage to India for Xfens. «*hen*e pee*eeeA g°-