Bail pending in Punjab and Haryana HC, accused acquitted in UAPA case by special court
In 2021, the Punjab Police claimed to have averted a possible terrorist attack on and around Independence Day with the arrest of two terror accused.
Lawyer Jaspal Singh Manjhpur in the centre, and Amritpal Singh in blue turban. (Special Arrangement) An Amritsar-based special court last week acquitted two people arrested on terror charges in August 2021 even as one of the two individuals’ bail is pending in the high court.
In 2021, the Punjab Police had claimed to have averted a possible terrorist attack on and around Independence Day with the arrest of the two. They were accused of being associated with a UK-based terror entity.
However, the police failed to prove the charges against the accused – Sammi and Amritpal Singh – under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in court. The special court acquitted Sammi and Amritpal Singh of all sections of the UAPA and Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
While Sammi had been granted bail after around one year of judicial custody, Amritpal Singh’s bail is still pending at the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
After the arrest of the duo, the police had claimed that they were operating at the direction of UK-based terrorist Gurpreet Singh Khalsa, alias Gurpreet.
“There is not an iota of evidence against accused persons to connect them for the offences punishable under Sections 13, 16, 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention Act), Sections 3 and 4 of Explosive Substances Act and Section 120-B of IPC,” reads the detailed court order published Friday.
After the case was registered, the then Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta had said, “In view of the large number of intel inputs indicating plans by Pakistan ISI and terrorist elements based abroad, who are working in close collaboration with the ISI, to carry out an attack in India on or around Independence Day, the Punjab Police had made extensive security arrangements at the borders. Special security checkpoints were set up, and patrolling was intensified 24×7. The duo was arrested at one such check post.”
Following the recent acquittal order, lawyer Jaspal Singh Manjhpur said, “Amritpal Singh has been in jail since 2021. We had first applied for his bail in 2024. The lower court took its time to reject the bail application. Then we approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The hearing of the bail application was still in process, and the next hearing was scheduled for March 2026. In the meantime, Amritpal has been acquitted of all charges under the UAPA.
“It is again a reminder that the denial of bail has become a punishment under UAPA,” he added.
Amritpal Singh, though, has been convicted under the Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act, which entail a jail term of three and four years, respectively. However, he has already served more than four years in jail.
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