New York, USA (May 14, 2013): Since the evidentiary hearing and depositions of witnesses have been completed, Federal Judge Adelman will now decide whether the human rights violation law suit pending against CM Badal will be heard under the principles of Universal Jurisdiction as demanded by Sikh rights group or will be dismissed as per defendants motion for lack of service and personal jurisdiction of the US Court.
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) a human rights group that have filed the human rights violation law suit against the CM Badal claims that while US Department of State has directly and openly supported CM Badal by providing testimony and official records in Badal’s favor, on the other hand US Department has refused to give necessary information as demanded by Plaintiff’s. Rights group announced that they will appraise US lawmakers of the support provided by US Department of State to the CM Badal, who is facing charges of protecting and commanding a police force responsible for torture and extrajudicial killings of Sikhs in the State of Punjab.
SFJ and the US based plaintiff’s will also approach the newly formed American Sikh Caucus seeking their help in asking the US Department of State to withdraw its support to CM Badal and will demand a Congressional hearing to discuss the ban on the entry of SAD (Badal) leaders into US for their participation in gross human rights violations in the State of Punjab.
Rights group have claimed that during depositions, Surinderpal Singh Kalra’s claim of being served instead of Badal, was seriously undermined by his own admission of having met DIG Counter Intelligence Ananya Gautum, Additional Adovcate General of Punjab Sidhu, SP Intelligence Sandhu and Badal’s Security Chief SP Sanjiv K. Rampal immediately before testifying before Judge Adelman on February 21. Kalra’s admission of meeting high ranking Indian police officials clearly shows that his credibility is questionable and Kalra a self proclaimed human rights activist and ex Director of World Sikh Council, was testifying to save Badal in the human rights violation lawsuit stated attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to Sikhs For Justice.
The plaintiff’s motion demanding continuation of human rights law suit claiming personal jurisdiction of the US Court is based on the effective challenge of the CM Badal’s account that on the evening of August 09, he was shopping at Boelter Superstore, 17 miles away from Oak Creek High School where a community forum was being held in the memory of tragic temple shooting. Rights group motion argues that CM Badal is unable to produce any corroborating evidence that he was actually present at Store during the crucial time period of 4:40 till 5:10 PM on August 09. On the other hand defendant has painstakingly produced plethora of corroborating evidence regarding his activities and presence during the rest of the day of August 09 except the crucial period from 4:40 till 5:10 PM.
The motion to dismiss the law suit filed by defendant CM Badal before Judge Adelman argues that the “Plaintiffs process server did not serve Parkash Singh Badal. The evidence – including testimony and information from two federal agents, a private security official, two entirely disinterested local store employees, the Oak Creek Chief of Police, the United States Attorney, the person who in fact was served, and an acquaintance of the Chief Minister, along with contemporaneous photographs, e-mails, and other documents – demonstrates definitively that it would have been physically impossible to serve the Chief Minister on August 09th at Oak Creek high School because he was not there. CM Badal was shopping at Boelter Superstore 17 miles away. Instead, the process server erroneously served Surinderpal Singh Kalra, a Department of Justice appointed interpreter for the community forum being held at the high school in the wake of the tragic temple shootings.”