CHANDIGARH, Punjab—In 2009 Punjab Police arrested Kuljit Singh for questioning in some cases. His mother, Gurjit Kaur was told that he would return home later. Before the police left, they turned their one-room dwelling upside down but found nothing that could possibly be used as evidence against him. However, Kuljit Singh did not return home later. Instead, he was badly beaten and tortured by the police.
When Gurjit Kaur finally got to meet him, his body was swollen and bruised. Years passed without him receiving medical attention for internal bleeding. In July 2014, a Ludhiana Sessions Court sentenced Kuljit Singh ‘Kanta’ to five years imprisonment for a false case registered under the Unlawful Activities Act and the Arms & Explosives Act. Alongside him, Bhag Singh and Balbir Singh Lambejatpur, were also handed down the same sentence.
Yesterday, on 11th November 2014, the Punjab & Haryana High Court issued the bail release for Kuljit Singh and Bhag Singh (seen in the photo leaving the court). They should be freed from their ordeal and allowed to return home from Ludhiana Central Jail in the next few days, once their bail bonds have been fulfilled. Sikh Relief/SOPW have been working hard to achieve this goal, especially for the sake of Gurjit Kaur, who has been fraught with anxiety since her only remaining family member is Kuljit Singh and watching him suffer in this way left her bereft. We are hopeful that Balbir Singh, the other co-accused in this case, will also achieve his release very soon.
