Chandigarh/ Punjab (July 11, 2013): According to information available with the Sikh Siyasat News (SSN), Punjab and Haryana High Court today bail to Akali Dal Panch Pardhani (ADPP) leader Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu in a case under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. This case was registered against Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu in September 2012 by Ludhiana police.
Bhai Mandhir Singh, Secretary of ADPP, informed Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) over phone that the hearing was held by Justice Inderjit Singh’s bench; who granted the bail after carefully listening the bail application.
As per information the Punjab government had opposed the bail plea moved by Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu’s council Advocate Rajwinder Singh Bain. The Punjab Govt. pleaded that Bhai Daljit Singh had allegedly threatened the a witness of Shingar Cinema bomb blast case. Second allegation was that the police had recovered a video from Bhai Daljit Singh that revealed that he was attending Bhogs of Sri Akhan Paath Sahib, held in the memory of slain Sikh militant. Thirdly, Bhai Daljit Singh was extending help to the families of slain Sikh militants; and fourthly that objectionable literature was recovered from Bhai Daljit Singh.
Advocate Rajwinder Singh Bains informed the court that the witness in Shingar case had already deposed in the court. Interestingly when his witness was recorded in the trial court, about more than a year ago, Bhai Daljit Singh was in jail due to political reasons. He rubbished the prosecution allegation that when a person was already in jail; how could he threaten the witness.
Secondly, Advocate Bains informed, attending the bhog ceremonies and helping the families of slain Sikh militants with school fee for children or extending help to meet the medical expenditure has not been specified as an “unlawful” activity. Advocate Bains clarified that the copies of “Sikh Shahadat”, a registered Punjabi monthly magazine (not in print since September 2009), was being termed as ‘objectionable’ literature by the Punjab government. He told the court that the literature allegedly recovered from Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu was never banned by any of the authorities in Punjab or India.
After listening the arguments of both sides, the High Court granted bail to Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu.
It is notable that Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu may have to remain in jail for some more time, as the Punjab government has attached his name in a Jalandhar Case (under UAPA) that was initially registered against a UK citizen Jaswant Singh. The bail plea of Bhai Daljit Singh in the Jalandhar case is scheduled for hearing in the High Court on July 31, 2013.
Bhai Mandhir Singh, Secretary general of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani, said that Punjab government and Indian state was targeting Panch Pardhani leaders with false cases due to political reasons. He termed the cases against Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu and Bhai Kulbir Singh Barapind (President of ADPP) as attempts to crush the political dissent.