New York (April 16, 2013): Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) a human rights group which is spearheading the campaign to bring perpetrators of Sikh genocide to justice Challenged CM Badal’s policy of impunity to DGP Saini responsible for disappearance of Prof. Bhullar’s father Balwant Singh. On April 15, CM Badal met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and requested that Bhullar should not be hanged as this will create law and order situation in the State of Punjab.
Rights group stated that While Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal are now seeking clemency for death row convict Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, SAD (Badal) led Punjab Government had filed an affidavit in support of Sumedh Saini before the Supreme Court in 2009 that “terrorist” Bhullar was a “hardcore and experienced criminal”.
According to attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to human rights group, the SAD (Badal) government had filed the affidavit after the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered a CBI probe against the present Punjab DGP Sumedh Saini for “elimination” of Bhullar’s father Balwant Singh Bhullar and maternal uncle Manjit Singh Sohi. The High Court had passed the order on the basis of petitions filed by Bhullar, who was in Tihar Jail, and a retired IAS officer whose son, Balwant Singh Multani, was the third person killed in the alleged fake encounter led by Sumedh Saini who was SSP of Chandigarh in 1991.
The 2009 affidavit filed by the Badal government in favor of Sumedh Saini stated that “It is submitted that the state is extremely concerned over this turn of events in which decorated officers of the police force, who had been instrumental in the fight against terrorism being successful, are now at the receiving end of criminal investigation, that too by a specialized procedure devised by the hon’ble High Court. Balwant Singh Multani is a proclaimed offender in several cases and terrorist Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar has been awarded death sentence for killing security personnel in an assassination attempt on Bitta, the then president, All India Youth Congress, at Delhi,”
Attorney Pannun stated that Badal is seeking mercy for Bhullar now, but in 2009 Badal’s comments were “Such hardcore and experienced criminals (Bhullar), who have a well-organized international support base, are likely to misuse such orders to attempt victimization of dedicated police officers like Sumedh Saini”
Because of the affidavit given by Badal Government, the Supreme Court of India had set aside the HC order and Sumedh Saini got reprieve from the charges of murder and extrajudicial killings of Bhullar’s father, his uncle and Balwant Singh Multani added attorney Pannun.
“The command and protection of Sumedh Saini and a force of Police officers responsible for extrajudicial killings of Sikhs exposes the wicked political policies of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son, Sukhbir Singh Badal through which they are trading votes with the innocent blood of the Sikh victims” Stated attorney Pannun.
CM Badal is facing the lawsuit in the US Federal Court filed under Alien Torts Claims Act and Torture Victims Protection Act on the charges of custodial torture and shielding the Police officers responsible for torture, extra judicial killings and continuous human rights violations against the Sikh community in Punjab. The plaintiffs in the case are Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), SAD (Amritsar) headed by Simranjit Singh Mann and several individuals who were tortured during the Badal regime.