Chandigarh, April 23 (). Self-styled Khalistani preacher Amritpal Singh, who was finally arrested from Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s village in Punjab on Sunday after a 36-day cat-and-mouse chase in several states, was largely untraceable until last September. He returned to India from Dubai, where he was running his family’s transport business.
After lawyer-actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu took charge of Waaris Punjab De or Punjab Ke Waaris in 2021, he was trying to establish himself as a new base for the fight for the freedom of the sect by calling on the youth. .
Sidhu, one of the accused in the violence at the Red Fort on January 26, 2021, died in a road accident near Sonepat in Haryana in February 2022.
In September that year Amritpal Singh’s dastar bandi (turban tying) ceremony was held at Rode village, in which he was declared the official head of Waris Punjab De.
However, unlike Bhindranwale, he had no formal religious schooling. Sidhu, a dropout from Apolitechnic, had cut his hair and shaved off his beard while living in Dubai.
However, Deep Sidhu’s family, which came under the media spotlight after the police declared Amritpal Singh a proclaimed offender, demanded an inquiry into someone Sidhu did not like.
It was also revealed in the police investigation that the late actor had blocked his mobile number.
Mandeep Sidhu, Deep Sidhu’s Ludhiana-based advocate brother, said that the appointment of Amritpal Singh as chief of Waris Punjab De, which was founded by his brother, was illegal.
He had told the media, an impression is being given that our family is a party to the decision to appoint Amritpal Singh as the chief. it is not true. In fact, Deep never talked about Amritpal and disliked him. He blocked Amritpal’s phone for 15 days in January and February.
Mandeep said that screenshots of the blocked number were shared on social media. I have my brother’s phone. I have proofs.
He said, Deep had established Waris Punjab De after a lot of research. It’s been hijacked. We need to investigate this issue.
Even America-based actress Reena Rai, fiancee of late Deep Sidhu, had condemned the act of Amritpal Singh.
He said that Deep Sidhu was neither a separatist nor a believer in violence. But Amritpal Singh had secretly hijacked the party to fulfill his Khalistani ambitions.
He also alleged that everything was being done by Amritpal Singh to collect huge amount of donations from abroad.
Amritpal Singh, against whom the National Security Act (Rasuka) was invoked and a non-bailable warrant issued, was on the run despite a massive search being launched since March 18.
The self-styled preacher, who returned from Dubai last year, tied the knot with Kirandeep Kaur in a simple ceremony in February.
A police team comprising women officers questioned Amritpal Singh for about an hour at her husband’s native place in connection with alleged foreign funding for his activities.
Official sources told that the police had also scanned the bank accounts of Amritpal Singh, his wife and parents to trace the sources of funds.
Confirming the arrest of Amritpal Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the Aam Aadmi Party government was duty-bound to maintain hard-earned peace and communal harmony in the state.
The law is taking its course in the case of Amritpal Singh, who was a puppet in the hands of forces hostile to the state and the country, and no action is being taken against the innocent, he said in a statement.
Mann said the state could have arrested Amritpal Singh on March 18 itself, but they never wanted bloodshed and today the separatist leader has been arrested without firing a single shot.
He said that this is a deep-rooted conspiracy to disturb peace, harmony and brotherhood in the state, but the government has foiled it by arresting all the key people.
Mann said self-styled godman Amritpal Singh runs an organization which instigates youths to take up arms and indulge in illegal activities against the country.
The chief minister said he was aware of the operation to nab the fugitive since Saturday evening, adding that he had had sleepless nights due to updates every 15 minutes from the officials.
Mann said that when Amritpal had attacked the Ajnala police station carrying the shield of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, he had instructed the police not to insult Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
He said that Guru Granth Sahib is supreme for him, due to which the police gave due respect to the vehicle carrying it and allowed its free movement.
SGK
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