CHANDIGARH: The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab has decided not to extend the detention of at least seven close aides of pro-Khalistani leader and Member of Parliament Amritpal Singh.
Singh is currently lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam under the National Security Act (NSA). His aides will be brought back to Punjab on Monday.
Sources claimed these detainees will be transferred from Dibrugarh to Punjab, where they will face legal proceedings for the cases registered against them. The Punjab government has opted not to renew the NSA detention of these seven individuals.
The key case against them involves the attack on Ajnala Police Station, where a mob of approximately 200 to 250 people, led by Amritpal Singh and armed with deadly weapons, stormed the premises to forcibly free one of their associates from police custody.
The Punjab Police has been investigating the matter and is now prepared to take decisive action against those involved. Their transfer will be carried out following all necessary departmental procedures.
Confirming the development, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Border Range) Satinder Singh said, "Seven aides of Amritpal Singh, namely Sarabjit Singh Kalsi, Bhagwant Singh alias Bajeke, Gurmeet Singh, Gurinder Pal Singh, Harjit Singh (Amritpal’s uncle), and Kulwant Singh, are being brought back to Punjab from Dibrugarh, as the National Security Act (NSA) is expiring on some of them tomorrow and on others the day after. Once the NSA expires, we will be arresting them in the case related to the attack on Ajnala Police Station in 2023."
"We are bringing them on transit remand from there," he added.
Rajdev Singh Khalsa, the advocate representing Amritpal Singh and the other detainees, claimed that apart from Amritpal Singh, Papalpreet Singh, and Lovepreet Singh alias Toofan, all others will be brought back to Punjab shortly. He confirmed that a Punjab police team had already reached Dibrugarh.
"As per my information, the state government is not extending the National Security Act (NSA) on them, which is expiring on March 19. However, the NSA on Amritpal, Papalpreet, and Toofan remains in effect until April 22," he said. "I have no information on which jail they will be kept in once they return to Punjab."
In June last year, the Punjab government extended the detention of Amritpal Singh and nine of his aides for another year under the stringent NSA, which allows authorities to detain individuals for up to 12 months without formal charges. Arrangements are being made for the detainees’ transfer, and further legal proceedings will follow once they return to Punjab, sources said.
Following a month-long manhunt, Amritpal Singh, the chief of Waris Punjab De, was arrested on April 23, 2023, in a village in Moga. The Punjab Police and central agencies launched a crackdown after the February 23 Ajnala incident, in which Amritpal Singh and his supporters—some brandishing swords and guns—broke through barricades, barged into the police station on the outskirts of Amritsar city, and clashed with police officers to secure the release of Lovepreet Singh Toofan, one of his aides.
As a result, multiple criminal cases were filed against them, including charges of spreading disharmony among communities, attempted murder, attacking police personnel, and obstructing public servants in the lawful discharge of their duties.