E-Paper
Amritpal’s ‘release’: High court defers hearing to April 12
The hearing was deferred by the bench of justice NS Shekhawat as the state government maintained its stand that Amritpal has neither been arrested nor detained, and the petitioner’s side failed to submit details of where they suspect the Waris Punjab de chief has been kept in illegal detention
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday deferred hearing till April 12 on a plea seeking the release or production of radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, who is on the run.
The hearing was deferred by the bench of justice NS Shekhawat as the state government maintained its stand that Amritpal has neither been arrested nor detained, and the petitioner’s side failed to submit details of where they suspect the Waris Punjab de chief has been kept in illegal detention.
On Tuesday, a verbal statement was made by the petitioner’s counsel that they had video evidence of Amritpal’s presence at Shahkot on March 18, when the manhunt was launched. However, they failed to produce any evidence during the hearing and sought more time from the court.
In view of this, the court has deferred the hearing on the plea of Imann Singh Khara, the legal adviser to Waris Punjab De, for April 12.
Earlier, in an affidavit, the deputy inspector general (border range) Narinder Bhargav reiterated government stand that Amritpal Singh has not been arrested or detained so far. He also told the court that the bureau of immigration, the government of India, has issued a lookout circular (LoC) against Amritpal so that he cannot flee the country. A hue and cry notice has also been issued by SSP (rural) Amritsar on March 28 and sent to all commissioners of police and SSPs in the whole country, the affidavit stated.
