Amritsar In a significant development following the revocation of the National Security Act (NSA), Punjab Police got custody of Papalpreet Singh, a close aide of Khadoor Sahib MP and 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Amritsar, Gurvinder Singh, confirmed the development and said, "Papalpreet Singh was produced before the court today, and we have got his custody for three days--that is, till the 18th of April."
Punjab Police had reached Dibrugarh on April 9 to take Papalpreet Singh into custody under the provisions of the National Security Act (NSA). Papalpreet Singh was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) in an operation conducted by the Punjab Police in Hoshiarpur on April 10. The crackdown came almost three weeks after Amritpal's supporters stormed the Ajnala police station in Amritsar on February 23, demanding the release of one of his close associates, Lovepreet Toofan.
Rejecting the allegations, the family members of Papalpreet Singh have claimed that no damage was done to the police station and that he only tried to stop the use of drugs in Punjab. "It is clearly in front of the world. He tried to keep people away from drugs and encouraged them to learn their Gurus' preaching," said Papalpreet's mother, Mandhir Kaur.
She also demanded that bail should be granted to Papalpreet Singh. Papalpreet's maternal uncle, Amarjeet Singh Wangchadi, alleged that only one side of the story is being told to the authorities. "They are only presenting one side of the story. I know he (Papalpreet) did wrong, but sending him 4,000 kms away, that too, under NSA, was not fair. How many were charged under the NSA during the 1984 riots or during the Vadodara riots in Gujarat?" he asked.
He further added that Papalpreet is a journalist and that he "was Mann's personal assistant during the elections". Papalpreet's advocate, Harpal Singh Khara, claimed that "even police and the state officials are not aware of the accusations" made against Amritpal Singh's close aide.
"They showed two people roaming around in two different cities. No allegations can be made about this. Also, nothing was stolen from the police station. They're saying the police station was attacked, but there was no damage done," Khara asserted.
The advocate further alleged that the "police and state will keep extending the legal process in the name of remands and investigation." "It's only drama. They're scared that the 'party' might flourish, and they're only trying to hold it back," he added.