The one-year extension of the National Security Act (NSA) slapped on Khalistani Amritpal Singh and Khadoor Sahib MP has been extended for a year more. A letter extending the NSA has been revealed, wherein it is obvious that Amritpal will spend an extra year in Assam’s Dibrugarh jail. On April 18, he signed the order of extension, and the new term of NSA will be effective from April 23.
In case the detention is prolonged for a third time, the family is going to turn to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Amritpal’s father, Tarsem Singh, spoke in strong terms of resentment, stating that Sikhs in India are being subject to a different set of laws. He labeled the extension of NSA as an act of betrayal of democratic ideals and the Khadoor Sahib voters.
He further questioned the reasons for holding Amritpal, noting that since his incarceration, cases of violence and crime keep occurring throughout Punjab—refuting the argument that his existence was disrupting public peace.
The family claimed that they were not told about the NSA extension. Tarsem Singh accused some people of being against Amritpal’s release because they are making money from his continued detention. He said that their “business” would close down if Amritpal was released.
Senior lawyer R.S. Bains called the extension of NSA an indication of governmental failure. According to him, rather than retaining Amritpal in preventive detention, the government should go for trials based on the FIRs filed against him. Bains, who earlier had gone to court challenging NSA, said that he would move the High Court again against the recent extension.
Decision Based on Intelligence Reports
The State Home and Justice Department made the decision to extend the detention on the basis of reports submitted by the Amritsar District Magistrate and intelligence inputs. The final order was on the lines of the advisory board’s recommendation.
In Custody Since April 2023
Khalistani Amritpal Singh has been in detention since April 23, 2023. He was arrested under the NSA soon after his arrest and shifted to Dibrugarh jail in Assam. His activities were mentioned by the government as a threat to national security. Periodic extensions of the NSA have been made since then, and discussions are still on for further extensions.