Amritpal Singh, aides pose serious threat to Punjab CM: Police
What's the story
The Punjab Police have claimed that radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh and his associates, currently detained under the National Security Act (NSA), pose a significant threat to the life of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
According to TOI, the police have cited video clips of Singh, in which he suggested that Mann could meet the same fate as former CM Beant Singh, who was assassinated by a human bomb.
Video proof
Police cite video evidence of Singh's alleged threats
The police have presented their claims before the Punjab and Haryana High Court through an affidavit filed by Amritsar (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police Charanjit Singh.
The affidavit includes video evidence recorded after the February 2023 Ajnala police station incident, where Singh is seen outside the station suggesting that Mann could meet a similar fate as Beant.
Thousands of supporters of Singh stormed the police station to protest the arrest of his aide, Lovepreet Singh Toofan.
Potential influence
Singh's comments could mislead Punjab youth: Police
The police believe that Singh's inflammatory remarks could mislead Punjab's youth into believing that actions like Dilawar Singh's—who assassinated Beant—were heroic deeds.
"It was reasonably apprehended that Amritpal Singh, and his supporters were likely to commit serious illegalities against anyone who may express any thoughts contrary to his own radical and extreme thoughts, even in future," the police stated in their detailed response.
Legal proceedings
Detention orders of Singh's associates challenged
The police's response was filed in reaction to separate petitions by Sarabjeet Singh Kalsi and Gurmeet Singh Gill, alias Gurmeet Bhukkanwala.
Both are close associates of Singh and are currently detained under the NSA in Assam's Dibrugarh jail.
They have challenged their fresh detention orders passed by the Punjab government in March this year.
The state has claimed that it has sufficient fresh grounds to pass NSA detention orders for the petitioners.