Trust saves 14 Punjabis from death sentence in Dubai

Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 22

A charitable trust, Sarbat Da Bhala, rescued 14 Punjabi youths and one Bihari migrant from Dubai this month. But it could not get one of the youths, Dharamvir Singh, released as his case is yet to be settled.

SP Singh Oberoi, head of the trust, said the youths were convicted for the killing of Varinder Singh Chauhan (38) from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Mohammad Farhan from Pakistan in 2011 and 2015. It is learnt that the youths were killed in a gang war and along with the culprits, Indian nationals were also convicted.

A few youths, who were working as labourers and wine sellers, were held captive for three years.

The youths, Dharmendra Singh from Bihar, Harinder Singh from Amritsar, Ranjit Singh from Nawanshahr, Dalwinder Singh from Mahilpur, Succha Singh from Patiala and 10 others from various parts of Punjab, were handed a death sentence in October 2016.

Dr Oberoi said all convicts were released after the blood money was paid to the families of the deceased.

After a long legal battle, these youths were released and sent back to India. Harjinder Singh (36) one of the convicts, said: “We were put behind bars for not fault of ours.”

The trust has not sought funds from any other organisation and has got 93 youths, not only from India, but also from Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh released.