Release Sikh prisoners, Prez urged

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 14

The Damdami Taksal on Friday urged the President to release 20 Sikh prisoners convicted to life imprisonment.

Citing Article 72 of the Constitution, Taksal’s head Harnam Singh Khalsa said the President had the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted under any offence.

A list has been submitted with the Office of the President about the Sikh political prisoners convicted to life imprisonment in different cases and lodged in various jails.

Citing the case of prisoner Paramjit Singh at serial No. 9 in the list attached, Khalsa claimed that he was never granted parole to meet his old-age mother who was on the death bed.

“All 20 Sikh prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment had good conduct in jails and 12 have completed more than 20 years’ incarceration. We have urged that they may be released on the eve of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak,” he said.