Chandigarh/ Punjab (July 16, 2013): According to information available with the Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) the Punjab and Haryana High Court has passed strong comments on prosecution case against Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu while granting a bail plea moved by Akali Dal Panch Pardhani (ADPP) leader. It is notable that Judge Inderjit Singh had allowed regular bail petition by Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu on July 11, 2013 in case FIR No.183 dated 21.9.2012 registered at Police Station, Division No.5, Ludhiana.
Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu
Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu, senior leader and former chairman of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani, was arrested by Punjab police under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in September 2012. Punjab government and police had accused Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu under Sections 17, 18, 18-B, 20, 22, 38, 39 and 40 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967; Section 25 of the Arms Act and Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosives Act, 1884.
In the High Court Bhai Daljit Singh was represented by Advocate Ravinder Singh Bains while Assistant Advocate General (Punjab) Yogesh Gupta appeared for the State of Punjab.
Judge Inderjit Singh has noted in his detailed order that as per allegations, the State of Punjab had accused Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu for ‘helping the terrorists etc. in their cases pending before the Courts. He is also receiving funds. He is threatening the witnesses of the cases and also planning to revive terrorist activities by causing bombs explosions etc. He is also in touch with the terrorists organizations’.
“The FIR in the present case has been registered on the basis of a secret information. As per the affidavit, which is placed on the record by Ms. Gurpreet Kaur Purewal, Assistant Commissioner of Police (West), Ludhiana, some literature has been found but at the time of arguments, it is admitted by the learned Assistant Advocate General that any of this literature is banned literature or containing anything inciting or abetting any general public to wage war or to commit the bomb blasts or indulge in unlawful activities etc” the Judge noted
“Similarly, receipt of donations in favour of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani Party, to which the petitioner is the President and recovery of one Video Camera, three Central Processing Unit (CPU), one Monitor, Recorded VCDs and Blank VCDs, is not incriminating material” the High Court judge noted further.
According to the bail order: “[a]t the time of arguments, again learned Assistant Advocate General was asked whether any of the VCDs or computer etc. was having any incriminating material but the reply was in the negative. Therefore, these recoveries, in no way, can be held as incriminating material/evidence against the petitioner. It is also written in the affidavit as well as argued by the learned Assistant Advocate General that Daljit Singh alias Bittu has threatened one Rakesh Kumar witness in Satyam Cinema Bomb Blast case.
Learned counsel for the petitioner stated that the case has already been decided before the registration of this case and all the accused had been acquitted in July 2012. The other person Sukhwant Singh, who was witness in Shingar Cinema Bomb Blast case, that witness has already been examined in the year 2011 in that case”.
“Learned counsel for the petitioner also stated that in both the cases Daljit Singh alias Bittu was not the accused. Further, learned counsel for the petitioner stated that during investigation, no bank account has been seized nor any evidence is there to show that he received donations etc. in huge amount from foreign country” the bail order notes.
Judge Inderjit Singh noted that the learned Assistant Advocate General states that `50,000/- was recovered from him in cash.
“In no way, this amount can be treated as a big amount for indulging in such type of activities. Then a list of cases has been given in which it is stated that he is helping in those cases”.
“This fact is to be determined when the evidence will be led before the trial Court. It is also debatable whether helping in legal cases to some persons amounts to commission of offence” he noted further.
“Keeping in view the facts and circumstances, I find sufficient ground to grant the benefit of bail to him as he is in custody since 21.9.2012 and the trial of the case will take long time and no useful purpose will be served by keeping the petitioner in custody” judge noted.
It is notable that Bhai Daljit Singh is still confined in jail as he is yet to secure bail in Jalandhar Case registered against him under UAPA. The Punjab and Haryana High Court is scheduled to hear the bail plea in Jalandhar case on 31 July, 2013.