Jalandhar: A trial court in Jalandhar today acquitted Sikh leader Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu and British citizen Jaswant Singh Azad in a case registered by the Punjab police under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The case was registered in 2012.
Bhai Daljit Singh’s lawyer Advo. Jaspal Singh Manjhpur told Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) that this case was initially registered against a British citizen Jaswant Singh Azad under F.I.R. 216/2012, u/s. 121, 121A, 120B (IPC); section 25 (Arms Act); Sections 10, 13, 17, 18B, 20, 38, 39 and 40 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Bhai Daljit Singh’s name was added in this case at a later stage.
Advocate Manjhpur said that the trial court did not find any substance in the case and acquitted by Daljit Singh and Jaswant Singh Azad.
He said that the case was motivated by political reasons and it lacked factual and legal basis.
“UAPA, which is a virtual replacement of infamous TADA and POTA after 2008 and 2012 amendments, is being widely misused by governments and the police against those holding dissenting or different opinion than that of the state” said Advocate Manjhpur.
He said that a similar case was registered against Bhai Daljit Singh under UAPA at Ludhiana and Jaswant Singh Azad’s name was attached to that case. The Ludhiana case was acquitted in May 2016.
This was last pending case of Bhai Daljit Singh, he added.