Amritpal Singh at large, efforts on to arrest him, Punjab govt tells HC
Amritpal Singh, fugitive leader of Waris Punjab De, is yet to be apprehended but police are closing on him, the state government told the Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday
Chandigarh: Amritpal Singh, fugitive leader of Waris Punjab De, is yet to be apprehended but police are closing on him, the state government told the Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday.
Efforts to nab the radical Sikh leader are underway and police are carrying out the operation in close coordination with intelligence agencies, state advocate general Vinod Ghai told a bench of justice NS Shekhawat.
The submissions by Ghai were made during resumed hearing of a habeas corpus petition seeking release and production of Singh, who has been on the run since March 18, when police launched a manhunt to nab him in a statewide operation.
The petitioner, Imann Singh Khara, legal adviser to Waris Punjab De, submitted that he had footage establishing Singh’s presence at the Shahkot police station in Jalandhar on March 18.
The court, however, observed that the state has categorically said he has not been arrested. “How can I disbelieve? I will record it and ensure that they face consequences if the statement is wrong,” the bench said.
“Show me some evidence. I will appoint a warrant officer. I can ask a district and sessions judge to inquire. But give me some evidence,” the court told the petitioner’s lawyer, asking him to submit evidence in writing before the court so that it can act on it.
As the hearing began, Ghai requested the court that arguments should be limited to the alleged illegal detention as the matter in its entirety concerned national security. The bench responded by observing that statements should not go beyond pleadings in the petitions filed before the bench.
Notably, the court’s observation on March 23, the last date of hearing, that Singh’s escaping despite the state government having 80,000 cops at its disposal had made ripples, with the state’s role coming under criticism from various quarters.
The matter will be taken up on Wednesday, by when fresh affidavit from the respective inspector general is to be filed by the state government.
Meanwhile, a high court bench on Tuesday sought responses from the Centre and Punjab on a plea from the brother of the social media handler of Amritpal Singh, demanding that non-resident Indian Gurinder Pal, alias Gur Aujla, be allowed to contact his family. Last week, police had informed the court that the National Security Act has been invoked against Gur Aujla.
The plea demanded that Gur Aujla, who is in Dibrugarh jail in Assam, be allowed to meet a lawyer of his choice. It is a fundamental as well as statutory right of the brother of the petitioner to who have access to a lawyer of his choice, according to the plea from Gur Aujla’s brother Surinderpal Singh Aujla. The Centre and Punjab have to respond by April 10 to the issues raised in the plea.
