Punjab govt to extend Amritpal Singh’s detention under NSA by another year

The NSA, a stringent preventive detention law, was imposed on Amritpal and several of his associates in 2023, leading to his incarceration in the Assam prison. Enacted in 1980, NSA empowers the Indian government to detain individuals without formal charges for up to 12 months to prevent actions prejudicial to national security, public order, or essential supplies and services. The law allows detention without producing the detainee before a magistrate within 24 hours, denies the right to bail, and limits legal recourse to habeas corpus petitions or appeals to an advisory board.

Amritpal Singh rose to prominence in 2022 after returning from Dubai to lead Waris Punjab De, a social organisation founded by actor Deep Sidhu, who later died in a road accident. Under Amritpal’s leadership, the outfit took a radical turn, promoting a traditionalist form of Sikhism and issuing provocative statements.

The trigger for the crackdown on Amritpal and his associates was the violent attack on the Ajnala police station in Amritsar on February 23, 2023. Thousands of his supporters, armed with swords and guns, stormed the station to demand the release of Lovepreet Singh Toofan, a close aide of Amritpal detained in a kidnapping case. The mob breached police barricades, clashed with officers, and secured Toofan’s release, raising concerns about the resurgence of Khalistani militancy in Punjab.

Following this incident, the Punjab Police launched a massive operation against Amritpal on March 18, 2023. He evaded arrest for over a month, leading to a high-profile manhunt. During this period, mobile internet services were suspended in Punjab.

The NSA was invoked against Amritpal and many of his associates following subsequent investigations. The Punjab Police alleged that Amritpal was attempting to form a separatist militia and had connections with foreign entities, including the Pakistan-based Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

On March 20 and 21, 2023, five of Amritpal’s aides—Daljeet Singh Kalsi, Bhagwant Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Pradhanmantri Bajeka, and Harjit Singh (Amritpal’s uncle)—were detained under the NSA and transferred to Dibrugarh Central Jail.

Amritpal Singh was arrested on April 23, 2023, in Rode village, Moga district, from a gurdwara. NSA warrants issued in March were executed, and he was flown to Dibrugarh jail. By then, nine associates, including Papalpreet Singh, Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal, Varinder Singh Johal, Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, Harjit Singh, Bhagwant Singh, Basant Singh, and Gurinderpal Singh Aujla, were detained under the NSA and lodged in the same jail.

In January 2025, the Faridkot police invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against Amritpal Singh in connection with the murder of Jaspreet Singh Hari Nau on October 10, 2024. This followed the expiration of his NSA detention, raising allegations of a conspiracy to keep him detained. His father, Tarsem Singh, criticised the UAPA charges as an attempt to derail plans to launch a political party.

By March this year, the Punjab government decided not to extend the NSA detention for seven of Amritpal’s associates—Sarabjit Singh Kalsi, Bhagwant Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Gurinder Pal Singh, Harjit Singh, Kulwant Singh, and Daljeet Singh Kalsi—whose detention expired on March 18–20, 2025. They were transferred from Dibrugarh to Punjab to face trial in the Ajnala case.

Papalpreet Singh, a key aide, was brought to Punjab on April 9 this year, as his NSA detention ended on April 10. He was produced in Ajnala court, which granted a four-day remand. By April this year, nine of the 10 detained associates were shifted to Punjab, with only Amritpal remaining in Dibrugarh.