Punjab Government to Extend Detention of Sikh Leader Amritpal Singh Under National Security Act

Punjab Government to Extend Detention of Sikh Leader Amritpal Singh Under National Security Act

RMN News Story Highlights:

• The Punjab government is extending the detention of Sikh leader and MP Amritpal Singh under the National Security Act (NSA) for another year.

• Amritpal Singh has been detained in Dibrugarh jail in Assam since 2023 following a crackdown after a violent incident at the Ajnala police station.

• The NSA is a preventive detention law allowing detention for up to 12 months without formal charges if deemed a threat to national security or public order.

• Prior to this extension, a petition was sent to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in March 2024, calling for Amritpal Singh’s release from what was termed “arbitrary detention”.

By Rakesh Raman

Chandigarh, India – The Punjab government is set to extend the detention of Sikh leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) for another year. This development comes as revealed on April 18, 2025, by a senior government official, ensuring that Mr Singh will remain incarcerated in Dibrugarh jail in Assam.

Amritpal Singh, who rose to prominence in 2022 as the leader of ‘Waris Punjab De’, has been held under the NSA since 2023 following a crackdown that was triggered by a violent attack on the Ajnala police station in Amritsar on February 23, 2023. Thousands of his supporters, reportedly armed, stormed the station demanding the release of a close aide.

The NSA, enacted in 1980, is a preventive detention law that empowers the Indian government to detain individuals without formal charges for up to 12 months if they are deemed a threat to national security, public order, or essential supplies. The law has been criticised for its provisions that allow detention without producing the detainee before a magistrate within 24 hours and limits legal recourse.

The detention of Amritpal Singh and his associates followed allegations by the Punjab Police that he was attempting to form a separatist militia and had connections with foreign entities, including Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Following the Ajnala incident, a large-scale operation was launched in March 2023, leading to Mr Singh’s arrest on April 23, 2023, and his transfer to the jail in Assam, thousands of miles from his home state.

Prior to this, a petition was filed on March 22, 2024, by journalist and human rights defender Rakesh Raman, calling for the release of Amritpal Singh and other Sikh activists from what was termed “arbitrary detention in India”. The petition was addressed to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), with copies sent to other international and Indian authorities.

[ Video: ਕੀ Amritpal Singh ਕਦੇ ਜੇਲ੍ਹ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਹਰ ਆਵੇਗਾ? Punjab ਵਿਧਾਨ ਸਭਾ Election 2027 ਦੀ ਤਿਆਰੀ ]

[ Video: ਐਮਪੀ MP ਬਣਨ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਕੀ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੇਲ੍ਹ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਹਰ ਆ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ? ]

[ Video: ਖਾਲਿਸਤਾਨ ਸਮਰਥਕ ਪੰਨੂ ਦੇ ਕਤਲ ਦੀ ਕੋਸ਼ਿਸ਼ ਮਾਮਲੇ ‘ਚ ਅਮਰੀਕੀ ਅਦਾਲਤ ਨੇ ਮੋਦੀ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਕੀਤਾ ਸੰਮਨ ]

[ Video: ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ‘ਚ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੇ ਪੀਐਮ ਮੋਦੀ ਖਿਲਾਫ ਪ੍ਰਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਕੀਤਾ। ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਸੁਰੱਖਿਆ ਲਈ ਨਵਾਂ ਅਮਰੀਕੀ ਕਾਨੂੰਨ ]

The petition argued that the detention violated the human rights and right to freedom of religion of Amritpal Singh and his companions. It highlighted the unrest in Punjab and alleged misuse of authority by the Punjab government. The petition also noted Amritpal Singh’s campaigns against drug menace in Punjab, suggesting a motive for his detention due to his opposition to the drug mafia allegedly colluding with police and politicians.

In response to this petition, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) issued an order on April 2, 2024, stating that it could not take action as Amritpal Singh had already approached the competent court and the allegations were against the Government of India.

While the detention of Amritpal Singh is being extended, the Punjab government had earlier decided not to extend the NSA detention for seven of his associates in March 2025, who were subsequently transferred to Punjab to face trial in the Ajnala case. By April 2025, nine of the ten initially detained associates had been shifted to Punjab, leaving Amritpal Singh as the only one remaining in Dibrugarh jail.

In a related development, in January 2025, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was invoked against Amritpal Singh in connection with a murder case, following the expected expiration of his NSA detention. This led to criticism from his father, who alleged a conspiracy to prolong his detention and derail potential political plans.

The extension of Amritpal Singh’s detention under the NSA is likely to draw further scrutiny from human rights organisations and international bodies who have been monitoring the situation. His continued detention in Assam, away from his home state, remains a key point of concern raised in the earlier petition for his release.

By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of the humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.