NEW YORK, NY, USA—Responding to US Court Summons through state attorneys, Parkash Badal, State of Punjab Chief Minister, sought an additional 90 days to defend the charges of commanding and shielding the officers responsible for custodial torture and extra judicial killings of Sikhs and continuous human rights violations of Sikhs in the State of Punjab in India.
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin issued Summons on August 8th against Badal, who was in Wisconsin on a private visit to attend the marriage ceremony of the business tycoon Dhaliwal’s daughter.
The lawsuit against Badal was filed under the Alien Torts Claims Act and Torture Victims Protection Act.
According to attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), “Since the issuance of summons against Badal, scores of Sikhs, who have suffered torture and human rights abuses during the Badal regime, have come forward with proofs of abuses and want to be part of the case against Badal before [the] US Court.
“SFJ will amend the complaint against Badal to add additional charges, plaintiffs and witnesses, who have suffered custodial abuses and torture,” added attorney Pannun.
“Since the issuance of summons against Badal, the family members of the plaintiffs Jagtar Singh, Jeet Singh, Gurdeep Kaur and Avtar Singh are being frequented by the Punjab Police and threatened with dire consequences,” continued Pannun.
Citing the threats and continuous harassment by the Badal regime of plaintiffs and their families back home, attorney Pannun stated that such threats not only prove continued human rights violations, but also corroborate the charges of abuse in the past by the Badal regime against Sikhs in Punjab, India.
