Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh Sent To Judicial Custody Till April 30; Punjab Cops Not To Seek Further Demand

Amritsar: Amritpal Singh, Member of Parliament from Khadoor Sahib and head of 'Waris Punjab De' outfit, was on Saturday remanded to judicial custody till April 30 after being produced before a local court following the completion of his two-day police remand.

Amritpal, a pro-Khalistan propagator and self-styled Sikh preacher, was presented before the Ajnala Court through video conferencing. During the proceedings, both the prosecution and defence presented their arguments before the court. After hearing both sides, the court passed orders sending him judicial custody, noting that the police had not sought any further custodial interrogation.

According to case details, the investigating agency did not file any fresh plea seeking an extension of remand during the hearing. This effectively indicated that, at the current stage, the police did not deem it necessary to seek additional time for questioning the accused.

Providing details of the hearing, defence counsel Ritu Raj Singh stated that the police had failed to recover any crucial evidence during the two-day remand period.

"Earlier, there were claims about possible recoveries of items such as Palki Sahib, mobile phones and other belongings. However, nothing substantial was recovered, and therefore the police chose not to seek further remand," he said.

The development has drawn attention due to the sensitive political context of the case. With Amritpal now in judicial custody, all eyes are on the next hearing, as supporters and legal observers await further progress in the investigation.

Background

Amritpal, the chief of the 'Waris Punjab De' outfit, was arrested in Punjab's Moga on April 23, 2023, following a month-long manhunt by the police. The 33-year-old had earlier drawn attention for styling himself after slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale,

The crackdown by Punjab Police was launched after the February 23, 2023 incident when Amritpal and his supporters - some of them carrying swords and firearms - allegedly broke through barricades and stormed the Ajnala police station on the outskirts of Amritsar. They reportedly clashed with police personnel while demanding the release of one of his associates, triggering a major law-and-order situation in the state.

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