Ajnala case: Amritpal appears virtually from Dibrugarh jail, hearing adjourned to May 7

After his defence counsel, Rituraj Singh Sandhu sought more time to examine the 1,200-page chargesheet submitted by the Punjab Police against Singh

: Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh, currently lodged in Assam’s Dibrugarh Central Jail, appeared before additional sessions judge Parinder Singh via video conferencing as his trial commenced in the February 2023 Ajnala police station siege case.

Amritpal and his accomplices have been booked under multiple sections of the IPC—sections 307, 353, 186 , 506 , 332 , 333, 120B , 427, 148, 149 and 201—along with Section 25 of the Arms Act. (HT File)

After his defence counsel, Rituraj Singh Sandhu sought more time to examine the 1,200-page chargesheet submitted by the Punjab Police against Singh, an Amritsar court on Tuesday scheduled the next date of hearing on May 7.

Sandhu stated that they requested additional documents, which have now been provided. He added that they will move an application at the next hearing to contest the charges imposed on Singh, including Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC.

He was sent to judicial custody on April 30 after a two-day police remand and was formally re-arrested on April 23, immediately after his National Security Act (NSA) detention expired.

The Punjab and Haryana high court recently allowed the Punjab government’s request to maintain his detention at the Assam jail. To process his arrest for the Ajnala violence—where he and 41 supporters are accused of storming the station, clashing with police, and attempting murder to free an aide—a Punjab Police team travelled to Dibrugarh to conduct his 48-hour remand locally.

Amritpal and his accomplices have been booked under multiple sections of the IPC—sections 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault on public servant), 186 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of duties), 506 (criminal intimidation), 332 (causing hurt to a public servant), 333 (causing grievous hurt to deter a public servant), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 427 (mischief causing damage), 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence)—along with Section 25 of the Arms Act.