Portugal court dismisses Pamma’s complaint against Punjab cops on technical grounds

Chandigarh: A Portugal court has reportedly dismissed a criminal complaint moved by Sikh activist Paramjit Singh Pamma against Punjab police officers for alleged human rights abuses. The complaint was dismissed on technical grounds related to ‘territorial jurisdiction’. The court observed that the suspects are outside Portuguese territory and have remained here only for the time required to access the extradition request for the Indian state.

Notably, Paramjit Singh Pamma had filed a criminal complaint on January 28 with the Attorney General of Portugal against Indian Police Officers alleging torture and human rights violations under laws Number 31/2004 and 59/2007 which provide jurisdiction over the crimes committed outside Portugal.

The complaint to Attorney General alleged that Ashish Kapoor, SP Mohali tortured the complainant Pamma in 1998, while DIG Balkar Sidhu and DSP Rajinder Sohal extra judicially killed Surjit Singh in May 1992 and Tajinder Singh Billu in May 1993, respectively.

It may be recalled here that Paramjit Singh Pamma was detained by Portuguese authorities in December 2015 during his vacations trip to that country. The concerned Punjab police officers had went to Portugal to seek extradition of Paramjit Singh Pamma but they rushed back after Pamma had moved criminal complaint accusing them for human rights abuses. The Punjab police was not able to secure extradition of Paramjit Singh Pamma as its plea was rejected by a Lisbon court on the ground that Pamma’s was granted political asylum in the England.