Punjab and Haryana High Court dismisses bail plea of two in Amritpal case

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, May 17

More than a year after an FIR was registered alleging the breaking of barriers setup by the police by different people led by ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today dismissed the bail pleas of two accused

Taking up the petitions filed against the State of Punjab by Gurpreet Singh and Gurbhej Singh, alias Bheja, Justice Deepak Gupta observed the court was not inclined to grant regular bail after considering the background facts, the circumstances in which the crime was committed and their active participation in the crime, along with the co-accused.

The FIR in the matter was registered for assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty, criminal intimidation and other offences on March 18, 2023, at Khilchian police station in Amritsar district under Sections 279, 353, 186, 506, 336, and 427 of the IPC and the provisions of the Arms Act.

It was alleged in the FIR that `different vehicles occupied by different people and led by co-accused Amritpal Singh had broken the barricade laid by the police and by brandishing their weapons, they obstructed the police party from performing their duties’.

Appearing before the Bench, State counsel Sahil R. Bakshi submitted that the petitioners were nominated on the basis of disclosure statements of co-accused. “The State counsel contends further that having regard to the historical background of Punjab, in which the terrorism had flourished earlier and during which chief minister Beant Singh was also assassinated, the utterances made by co-accused Amritpal Singh assumes significance. By pointing out towards the nature of crime and the manner in which it was committed, State counsel prays for dismissal of both the petitions,” Justice Gupta observed.