Convict Paramjit Singh.
Ropar, July 20
District and Sessions Judge Ramesh Kumari on Thursday awarded a sentence of five years to a man accused of violating the sanctity of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib at Anandpur Sahib.
The convict, Paramjit Singh, a resident of Ludhiana, was caught smoking while sitting in darbar sahib nearly two years ago.
On September 13, 2021, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) security guards deployed at Takth Sri Kesgarh Sahib overpowered Paramjit Singh, a Jat Sikh when he was smoking and handed him over to the local police.
Security guard Swaran Singh had informed the police that around 4.30 am Paramjit Singh after taking a puff threw his cigarette behind the ‘ragis’ sitting in darbar sahib and blew the smoke towards them.
Though relatives of Paramjit Singh had claimed that for the last one year he was under treatment for schizophrenia, a disorder that affects a person’s ability to think, feel and behave clearly, the police had registered a case under Section 295A of the IPC.
On May 17, 2022, the court of district and sessions judge Harpreet Kaur Jeewan had framed charges against him under Sections 295A, 436 and 511 of the IPC for outraging the religious feelings of Sikh community and committing mischief by throwing a half-burnt cigarette inside the gurdwara towards Ragi Singhs intending to cause or knowing it to be likely that it would cause the destruction of articles lying inside the gurdwara.
The court awarded a sentence of five years to Paramjit Singh under Section 435 of IPC while two years imprisonment has been awarded under Section 295A of IPC. Both the sentences will run concurrently. A fine of Rs 5,000 has been imposed against the convict. He was, however, acquitted against Section 436 and 511 of IPC.
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