‘Grave danger to state’s security’, reads order extending Amritpal’s detention
The Punjab government has cited “grave and imminent danger to security of the state” as the reason behind extending the NSA detention of radical preacher and Khadoor Sahib member of Parliament Amritpal Singh for one more year
Chandigarh : The Punjab government has cited “grave and imminent danger to security of the state” as the reason behind extending the NSA detention of radical preacher and Khadoor Sahib member of Parliament Amritpal Singh for one more year.
The orders of extending the detention under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) signed by Amritsar district magistrate Sakshi Sahni dated April 17, a copy of which is with HT, says: “After carefully and thoroughly examining the fresh proposal of sent by SSP Amritsar Rural and related documents /record /material /audio clips etc. I have applied my mind on the same. After exhaustive consideration, I, Sakshi Sawhney, IAS, District Magistrate Amritsar, am fully satisfied that you, Sh. Amritpal Singh Sandhu @ Amrital Singh son of Tarsem Singh, resident of Jallupur Khera, Police Station Khilchian, District Amritsar (Rural), Punjab have been indulging in activities gravely prejudicial to the security of the state as well as gravely prejudicial to the maintenance of public order.”
“I am further fully satisfied that there is a grave and imminent danger that you, on your release from detention, would indulge in activities prejudicial to the security of the State and prejudicial to the maintenance of Public Order,” reads the letter.
The orders, the copy of which has already been supplied to Amritpal who is lodged in Dibrugarh jail in Assam, read that it is necessary to make a fresh order directing that “you be detained afresh on April 23, 2025, after expiry of your current term of detention, with a view to preventing you from acting in a manner prejudicial to the security of the state and prejudicial to the maintenance of public order”.
The government of Punjab, department of home affairs vide its order dated April 15, 2025, has empowered district magistrates/ commissioners of police in Punjab to exercise power conferred by Section 3(2) of the National Security Act, 1980. “Hence, in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 3(2) of the National Security Act, 1980, I hereby direct that you, Amritpal Singh Sandhu@ Amritpal Singh be detained afresh on 23.04.2025, after the expiry on 22.04.2025,” reads the order.
HT was the first to report on April 19 that Punjab government was set to extend NSA detention of Amritpal for another year. As reported by HT, a notice to this effect has been served to the Dibrugarh jail authorities and the NSA detainee following due legalities by a team of Punjab Police, which visited Assam to complete the procedures required about extending the NSA detention of the 32-year-old Khadoor Sahib MP.
Amritpal has been under detention in 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.
The move comes after nine of Amritpal’s aides were 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.
Amritpal, 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 sympathizer had escaped the police net in Jalandhar district on March 18, 2023, switching vehicles and changing appearances.
The Punjab Police had launched the crackdown after the February 23, 2023, Ajnala incident in which Amritpal 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.
