Believe Him, He’s Just Another John Doe in India

Amarjit Singh Anand of Long Beach is in the videotape business. He’s an emigre to this country, a member of the Sikh religious sect, and he has a brother named Rajinder.

Amarjit Singh Anand of Fairbanks Ranch is in the videotape business. He’s an emigre to this country, a member of the Sikh religious sect, and he has a brother named Rajinder.

The Times on Sunday ran a lengthy investigative story about Amarjit Singh Anand of Long Beach. He has been indicted in Los Angeles and his creditors say he swindled bankers in eight countries out of $80 million.

After the story, Amarjit Singh Anand of Fairbanks Ranch began getting phone calls: from curious friends; snoopy reporters, and very nervous business associates, suppliers and bankers.

He explained patiently that Amarjit Singh Anand is a common name in India, kind of a Sikh version of John Smith.

“There are probably 5,000 Amarjit Singh Anands in New Delhi alone,” said Amarjit Singh Anand of Fairbanks Ranch. “It was funny to start with, but it’s not funny anymore.”

He owns Advance Recording Products in San Diego, which distributes Ampex, Sony and 3-M videotape products. He also owns Southwestern Auto in National City and San Diego Rubber Supply.

He’s 50, a former brewmaster for an Indian beer maker. He came to this country in 1966 to attend the University of Oklahoma, where he received a master’s degree in chemical engineering.

Amarjit Singh Anand of Long Beach is 40. He was born and reared in Iran. After the shah was overthrown in 1979, he fled to Dubai.

Anand of Fairbanks Ranch says he had never heard of Anand of Long Beach until The Times story was published. Since then he has checked him out.

He asked his own father-in-law, who used to live in Kuwait, about him. He says his father-in-law told him that Anand of Long Beach had a bad reputation in the Middle East, the kind of man who could cause you grief.

After two days of non-stop phone calls, Amarjit Singh Anand of Fairbanks Ranch says he knows what his father-in-law means.

Sleeping Better Dept.

Why do I feel I’m being protected against the wrong people?

* In Vista, three abortion opponents, convicted of trespassing, are serving time in county jail. Two were given 60 days, a third 120 days.

The jail had no trouble finding cells. This in a system that is so overcrowded it immediately releases, without bail, most people arrested for burglary, drunk driving, minor drug offenses and misdemeanor assault.

* At my neighborhood 7-Eleven store, “fortified” wine is being sold at $1 a bottle. The paper bag wrapper is free.

The stuff is 20% to 30% alcohol; the bottlers (including Gallo) are so proud of it, they don’t put their names on the label.

This at a store whose corporate owner, Southland Corp. of Dallas, self-righteously banned the sale of Playboy and Penthouse a few years ago, as a gesture to “better serve the public.”

Somehow I feel more threatened by a driver under the influence of Thunderbird, Night Train and other quick-buzz potables than one under the influence of pictures of naked women.

Chicken Italia

If you’re still hungry, try one of these:

* The San Diego Chicken will accompany the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Assn. to Italy in October for the McDonald’s Open Tournament against three European teams.

The show-business bird is also looking for financial backing for a movie based on his life, to be called “Poultrygeist.” (That’s a joke, son.)

* A restored B-24 Liberator rechristened the “All American” is set to land at 10 a.m. Thursday at Lindbergh Field as part of a convention of former crew members and production workers.

About 9,790 of the heavy bombers were built by Consolidated Vultee in San Diego and Fort Worth from 1939 to 1944. But the All American is the only one in flying condition, after a $1-million-plus restoration financed by General Dynamics and a computer software magnate.