Punjab to extend MP Amritpal’s NSA detention for another year

The Punjab government has decided to extend the detention of jailed MP and radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh under the National Security Act (NSA) for another year, an official familiar with the matter said on Friday.

According to senior officials privy to the development, a notice to this effect would be served to the Dibrugarh Jail authorities and the NSA detainee following due legalities.

A team of Punjab Police has been sent to Dibrugarh Jail to complete the procedures required for extending the NSA detention of the 32-year-old Khadoor Sahib MP, the official cited above said.

Amritpal has been jailed in Assam’s Dibrugarh jail since his arrest in April 2023.

The decision to extend Amritpal’s detention was taken after deliberations between the state and the central agencies, keeping in mind the present security concerns, the official said, requesting anonymity.

“All stakeholders, state and central agencies, have deeply studied the present law and order scenario in the state after which the decision to extend detention was taken,” said a senior government functionary.

The decision on whether Amritpal will stay in Assam jail or be shifted to another jail is being deliberated.

His present detention would end on April 23, another official familiar with the developments added.

Nine of Amritpal’s aides have been brought back to Punjab earlier this month after the government decided not to extend their NSA detention, and now they are in the custody of Punjab police.

Apart from Papalpreet, who is a key associate of Amritpal and his media advisor, and was recently brought back to Punjab, the other eight associates are — Kulwant Singh Rauke, Harjeet Singh Chacha, Gurinder Pal Singh alias Guri, Gurmeet Singh Bukanwala, Bhagwant Singh, Daljit Singh Kalsi, Basant Singh and Varinder Singh alias Fauji. The accused are now lodged in different jails in Punjab.

Amritpal Singh, who styled himself after slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, was arrested in Moga’s Rode village on April 23, 2023, following an over a month-long manhunt.

The Khalistan sympathiser had escaped the police net in Jalandhar district on March 18, 2023, switching vehicles and changing appearances following a crackdown on his outfit.

The Punjab Police had launched the crackdown after the February 23, 2023, Ajnala incident in which Amritpal Singh and his supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, allegedly broke through barricades and barged into the police station on the outskirts of Amritsar city, and clashed with police for the release of his aides.

He and his associates were booked on charges of spreading disharmony among classes, attempt to murder, attack on police personnel and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duty by public servants.

Amritpal won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Khadoor Sahib constituency with a margin of over 190,000 votes and was allowed to take oath as MP in the closed chamber of LS speaker on July 5, 2024.