Rashpal Samrai & Ors v Rajinder Kalia
| Court | King's Bench Division |
| Judge | Mr Justice Martin |
| Neutral Citation | [2024] EWHC 3143 (KB) |
| Date | 09 December 2024 |
| Year | 2024 |
| Counsel | Mr Mark Simeon Jones,Ms Sarah Crowther Kc,Mr Daniel Clarke |
1
Neutral Citation Number: [2024] EWHC 3143 (KB)
Case No: QB-2021-001052
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
KING'S BENCH DIVISION Royal Courts of Justice
Strand, London, WC2A 2LL
Date: 09/12/2024
Before :
MR JUSTICE MARTIN SPENCER
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Between :
(1) RASHPAL SAMRAI
(2) KASHMIR SAHOTA
(3) HARPRIT DILBEHER
(4) MANDEEP DILBEHER
(5) JOGINDER SINGH
(6) TARSEM SINGH
(7) SUKHDEV KAUR
Claimants
- and -
RAJINDER KALIA
Defendant
Mr Mark Simeon Jones (instructed by Peacock & Co) for the Claimants
Ms Sarah Crowther KC and Mr Daniel Clarke (instructed by Kingsley Napley LLP) for the
Defendant
Hearing dates: 24, 25, 28 June 2024,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 22, 23 and 24 July 2024
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Approved Judgment
This judgment was handed down remotely at 10.30am on 9th December 2024 by circulation
to the parties or their representatives by e-mail and by release to the National Archives.
.............................
THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE MARTIN SPENCER
Mr Justice Martin Spencer
Approved Judgment
Samrai and others v Kalia
2
Mr Justice Martin Spencer:
Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................. 3
The Parties ................................................................................................................... 6
The First Claimant: Rashpal Samrai ............................................................................ 6
The Second Claimant: Kashmir Sahota ........................................................................ 7
The Third Claimant: Harprit Dilbeher .......................................................................... 7
The Fourth Claimant: Mandeep Dilbeher ..................................................................... 8
The Fifth and Sixth Claimants: Joginder Singh and Tarsem Singh .................................. 8
The Seventh Claimant: Sukhdev Kaur ......................................................................... 9
The Defendant: Rajinder Kalia ................................................................................... 9
Limitation (1) ............................................................................................................. 10
The Evidence of the First Claimant: Rashpal Samrai ...................................................... 11
The Evidence of the Second Claimant: Kashmir Sahota .................................................. 17
The Evidence of the Third Claimant: Harprit Dilbeher .................................................... 23
The Evidence of the Fourth Claimant: Mandeep Dilbeher ............................................... 30
The Evidence of the Seventh Claimant: Sukhdev Kaur ................................................... 39
Other Witnesses called on behalf of the Claimants .......................................................... 42
Neil Johnston .......................................................................................................... 42
Tarlochan Garcha .................................................................................................... 43
The Evidence of Rajinder Kalia .................................................................................... 44
Other Witnesses Called on behalf of the Defendant ........................................................ 51
Ms Sharanjit Sidhu .................................................................................................. 51
Ms Ruby Gill .......................................................................................................... 54
Ms Serena Kaur ...................................................................................................... 59
Ms Amandeep Dutta ................................................................................................ 61
Ms Mandeep Bisla................................................................................................... 64
Mr Sunil Dadra ....................................................................................................... 66
Ms Meena Salhan .................................................................................................... 69
Ms Anita Jassal ....................................................................................................... 71
Mr Surinder Kalia ................................................................................................... 73
Ms Parmjit Kaur...................................................................................................... 71
Mr Pavan Kalia ....................................................................................................... 76
The Expert Evidence ................................................................................................... 81
The Evidence of Dr Blyth ........................................................................................ 81
Mr Justice Martin Spencer
Approved Judgment
Samrai and others v Kalia
3
The Evidence of Professor Maden ............................................................................. 89
Witness Intimidation and the conduct of the trial ............................................................ 95
The Parties’ Submissions ............................................................................................. 97
Submissions on behalf of the Defendant .................................................................... 97
Limitation ........................................................................................................... 97
Credibility ........................................................................................................ 102
Harassment ....................................................................................................... 102
Fundamental Dishonesty .................................................................................... 103
Undue Influence ................................................................................................ 103
Laches .............................................................................................................. 104
Submissions on behalf of the Claimants ................................................................... 105
Findings: letter of 17 July 2017 ........................................................................... 107
Preliminary Conclusions on the evidence and decision on limitation ............................... 111
The First Claimant, Rashpal Samrai. ....................................................................... 116
The Second Claimant, Kashmir Sahota. ................................................................... 118
The Third Claimant, Harprit Dilbeher ...................................................................... 121
The Fourth Claimant, Mandeep Dilbeher ................................................................. 123
The Seventh Claimant, Sukhdev Kaur ..................................................................... 125
Harassment .............................................................................................................. 127
Fundamental Dishonesty ........................................................................................... 127
Decision .................................................................................................................. 128
ANNEXE ................................................................................................................ 129
JUDGMENT OF 5 July 2024 ................................................................................. 129
Introduction
1. Hinduism is one of the great religions of the world. It is predominantly observed in
India: a 2011 census revealed that 81% of the population (over 600 million people)
identified with Hinduism. It is a religion which covers a range of traditions, with
certain common themes such as belief in a cycle of reincarnation with freedom from
this cycle of reincarnation being the highest purpose of life. The source of these
beliefs is the Veda, a body of texts in Sanskrit comprising divine revelation containing
hymns to gods and verses (or “mantras”) which may be recited at religious
ceremonies.
2. The three major streams of tradition focus on the gods Vishnu, Shiva, and the Goddess.
Smaller sects based around lesser deities are permitted: these are often based on a local
deity who has become identified with one of the major gods. One such sect,
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1 cases
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Rashpal Samrai v Rajinder Kalia
...it translated and file the foreign language witness statement with the court. Where a witness statement does not comply with part 32[2024] EWHC 3143 (KB) Mr Justice Martin Spencer Case No: QB-2021-001052 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE KING'S BENCH DIVISION Royal Courts of Justice Strand, Lond......
