The state of Punjab on Tuesday informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it was close to arresting Amritpal Singh even as the petitioner-counsel in the habeas corpus plea for his production claimed that he was in “illegal detention” at Shahkot police station in Jalandhar.

The State also informed the Court that they were coordinating with several agencies.

The radical preacher, declared a fugitive by the Government, has been on the run since a police crackdown on him and his outfit — Waris Punjab De — began on March 18. Several images and videos that emerged on social media have showed him changing his vehicles and appearance multiple times in a bid to dodge the police.

However, Punjab police have detained or arrested a number of his associates during the crackdown, with seven among them sent to Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam after registering them under National Security Act (NSA).

Punjab Advocate-General Vinod Ghai, appearing before the Bench of Justice NS Shekhawat, submitted that Amritpal was not arrested and the State was trying its best to nab him. Maintaining that Punjab was passing through a sensitive stage, he pointed that national security was involved, and thus the arguments addressed before the Court should be limited to the contentions raised in the habeas corpus petition.

On the other hand, the counsel-petitioner Imaan Singh Khara submitted before the Bench that they had CCTV footage of March 18 to prove that Amritpal Singh was in ‘illegal’ custody at Shahkot police station.

After recording the contentions of both sides, Justice Shekhawat asked the counsel to show evidence that Amritpal was in Punjab Police’s illegal custody. At the same time, the bench made it clear that the state’s stand that Amritpal had not been arrested, if proven contrary, would result in prosecution.

Fixing Wednesday (March 29) the next date for hearing, Justice Shekhawat stated that the Court would appoint a warrant officer or even ask the CJM concerned to carry out a raid immediately, if some material was placed before the Bench to show Amritpal was in illegal detention. He also asked the state counsel to place before the Bench an affidavit by the IGP concerned, and the petitioner counsel to place on record additional facts.

“Counsel for the petitioner prays for time to place on record some additional facts. Advocate-General, Punjab, assisted by Aman Pal, Additional AG, Punjab, also prays for time to file the affidavit of concerned Inspector-General of Police. Adjourned to March 29,” Justice Shekhawat said.

The Bench was earlier also told by the petitioner that he was the legal advisor to organization 'Waris Punjab De' and alleged detainee Amritpal. Among other things, petitioner had alleged that Amritpal had been illegally and forcibly detained without any authority of law. Directions were also sought for the appointment of a warrant officer to visit the spot. “If the detainee is found in illegal custody of the respondents, he be set at liberty forthwith,” stated the petition.

New CCTV Footage Shows Amritpal Without Turban in Delhi

In a yet another CCTV footage of pro-Khalistan preacher Amritpal Singh surfacing on Tuesday, he can be seen moving around on Delhi streets without a turban, with hair open, and wearing a mask.

The video, which is said to be dated March 21 and from a market in Delhi, shows the fugitive ‘Waris Punjab De’ head walking down a street wearing dark glasses. His key aide Papalpreet Singh could also be seen walking with a bag behind him.

A Delhi Police official said that they are probing whether the persons seen in the video are Amritpal and his aide. “So far, we don't have any such information, nor the location where the video was shot has been confirmed to be of Delhi. However, we are verifying it,” the official said.

However, there has been no official word from Punjab Police on the fresh footage.

US Court summons Punjab Governor, CM, DGP over arrest/torture of pro-Khalistan activists

Taking note of the “internet ban” in Punjab to blackout information about police crackdown on the pro-Khalistan Sikhs, the US Federal Court in New York has issued summons to Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and the Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav on the complaint of ‘Sikhs For Justice’ (SFJ) — a pro-Khalistan organization banned in India.

The Federal Court summons were issued in a case filed by SFJ “Singh and Kaur” against Mann, Purohit, and Yadav’. The claims regarding the same were made by SFJ general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in a message to the media on Tuesday morning. In a separate video message, Pannun claimed that the Federal Court issued the summons to Bhagwant Mann, Banwari Lal Purohit, and Gaurav Yadav and directed them to answer within 21 days of the service of the summons.

He said that “the class action lawsuit against Purohit, Mann and Yadav has been filed under Torture Victims Protection Act (TVPA) which gives the US Courts extra territorial jurisdiction over the crime of torture committed in foreign countries and allows the prosecution of such human rights abuses”.

The complaint, filed on March 27 before the Federal Judge of the Southern District of New York, alleged that “this action is brought in the wake of ongoing severe and violent “Siege of Punjab” in India where thousands of Sikh families have been illegally detained, subjected to custodial torture while the whole state of Punjab has been cut and isolated from the rest of the world with shut down of internet to blackout the information about ongoing human rights abuses and to carry on the persecution of the Sikh population with impunity on account of their subscription to socio-religious campaign - “Khalsa Vaheer” – run by the “Waris Punjab De” (WPD) under the leadership of Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh and for their support to the political opinion “Khalistan Referendum”.

Notably, the US-based secessionist group was banned by India in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for anti-India activities, like running a secessionist Khalistan referendum.