Indian who faked racial attack in Oz let off with light term

Jaspreet Singh, 28, had claimed that he was racially attacked in Melbourne after he reportedly burnt himself while torching his car to make an insurance claim.

During a court hearing, it was found that Jaspreet Singh, who had said that he was doused with petrol and set alight by four men after he parked his car near his home in early January, was planning to claim insurance money to fund a holiday to India.

The police found that he had suffered the burns while trying to torch his Ford sedan, the Melbourne Magistrates Court heard on Monday.

Singh had pleaded guilty to criminal damage with intent to gain through arson, attempting to obtain property by deception and making a false report to police.

Senior constable Luke Devlin told the court that Singh had failed "to consider atmospheric conditions (and) a vapour explosion occurred".

Deputy chief magistrate Felicity Broughton imposed an aggregate jail term of eight months, which was suspended for two years, but said if he had not pleaded guilty, Singh would have been jailed for 15 months.

She said Singh's behaviour was clearly a planned and premeditated enterprise. Singh had suffered burns to his arms, feet, neck, face and scalp.

According to 'The Age', police official Paul McClure said Singh was in dire financial circumstances after the collapse of his business, and was going to use the burnt car to make an insurance claim.

Broughton pointed out that Singh's claim -- that he was a victim of a racist attack at a time when tensions between Australia and India were high -- was a cynical action on his part.

The incident occurred in January this year, when the attacks on Indians had strained ties between the two countries, with the Indian government taking up the issue strongly with Australia.

More that 100 attacks have been reported against Indian students in Australia since June last year.