Punjab govt releases 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict Bhullar on 21-day parole

Bhullar became eligible for parole last month after an Amritsar TADA court discharged him in a case registered against him in Batala in 1995.

Earlier, the death sentence awarded to Bhullar in the bomb blast case, was commuted to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court in 2014. He was shifted from Tihar Jail in Delhi to Central Jail Amritsar in June last year. From there, he was immediately moved to the psychiatry department of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital Amritsar for treatment of depression.

Before being brought to Amritsar, Bhullar was admitted at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, New Delhi.

The Amritsar jail administration had sought a report from the hospital on Bhullar’s mental health while considering his parole application.

Dr P D Garg, head of the psychiatry department at the Government Medical College, Amritsar had suggested in his report that his mental health would improve in homely environment.

Dr Garg had also told the TADA court that Bhullar was “mentally fit” to understand the proceedings of court.

Bhullar was released from judicial custody around 7 pm Saturday. He would live at his in-laws’ house at Ranjit Avenue in Amritsar. He would require further permission from Deputy Commissioner to visit his native village, which is in Deyalpura Bhagta in Bathinda district.

Meanwhile, political parties reacted favourably to Bhullar’s parole.

Leader of Opposition of Congress in Punjab Assembly Charanjit Singh Channi said the former Khalistani leader’s mental health was poor and that he deserved parole.

Channi added that SAD would not be able to draw any political milleage. “Bhullar was sick deserved parole. He has suffered a lot. SAD cannot claim any political credit for it as everyone knew that Bhullar’s parole was due,” said Channi.

SAD Chief Parliamentary Secretary Virsa Singh Valtoha said Bhullar has been granted parole in accordance with the rules.

“SAD had always raised the issue of injustice of Sikh prisoners and we always wanted Bhullar to get out on parole. But the SAD government has not done any favour in granting him parole. He applied for it and got it according to rules,” said Valtoha.

He said SAD would not claim any political credit for parole of Bhullar.

The Punjab BJP unit did not react till late late at night when it came out with a statement that everything had been done under the ambit of legal provisions.

State BJP president Vijay Sampla was not available for comment while his predecessor, Kamal Sharma, said it would be proper if Sampla commented.

The national secretary of BJP from Punjab, Tarun Chugh, was away in West Bengal.

Assistant Media Advisor to the Punjab government, Vineet Joshi, who is a prominent BJP leader from the state, said Bhullar had been released as per provisions of the law. He said he had been denied parole earlier too but now that he fulfilled certain conditions he had been granted parole.

In the past, the Punjab unit of BJP has held a divergent stand from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) over the issue of release of Sikh detainees convicted of terrorism.

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