Despite best efforts, radical preacher Amritpal has yet to be arrested, Punjab government tells HC

The Punjab government informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday that “despite best efforts”, radical preacher Amritpal Singh has yet to be arrested.

Judge NS Shekhawat was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by lawyer Imaan Singh Khara, seeking the “release” of the Khalistan supporter from alleged police custody.

Khara recently filed a habeas corpus petition, alleging that Amritpal Singh was in “illegal custody” by the police.

During the resumption of the hearing on the matter on Wednesday, the petitioner asked the court for more time to present evidence showing that Amritpal was in “illegal custody” by the police.

The court noted on Tuesday that the state’s position is that Amritpal had not been arrested so far and had asked the petitioner to show evidence that the preacher was in “illegal custody.”

The state government, through an affidavit by Sub-Inspector General of Police (Border Rank) Narinder Bhargav filed with the high court, said that Amritpal is running from the law.

“Raids have been carried out to capture and detain Amritpal Singh. Multiple teams headed by senior police officers, including the senior police superintendent, have raided various suspected hideouts of Amritpal Singh.

“But despite the best efforts by the police, he could not be arrested/detained at this time,” according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, on March 28, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Amritsar Rural, also issued a ‘hue and cry’ notice to give information on the whereabouts of Amritpal Singh.

It was sent to all police commissioners and senior police superintendents in the country, he said, adding that the notice was distributed in public places in all districts in and around Punjab.

On March 21, the high court, while hearing the habeas corpus petition, had criticized the Punjab government for the intelligence failure that led the pro-Khalistan preacher to dodge the police.

Police earlier launched a major crackdown on Amritpal and his ‘Waris Punjab De’ team members. The elusive preacher, however, dodged the police and escaped his raid when his cavalcade was stopped in Jalandhar district recently.

Khara is the legal adviser to Amritpal and his team ‘Waris Punjab De’

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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)