NEW DELHI – The Chandigarh High Court dismissed two bail applications filed by Gurbhej Singh, alias Bheja, and Gurpreet Singh, associates of separatist leader Amritpal Singh, on Friday.
The accused, Bheja, was arrested on March 20, 2023. During questioning, he admitted to being part of a contingent led by Amritpal Singh. The state counsel submitted that the petitioners were implicated based on the disclosure statements of co-accused Baljinder Singh, Harminder Singh, Ajaypal Singh, Gurbir Singh, Savreet Singh, Gurpal Singh, and Amandeep Singh, who were all said to have actively participated in the crime.
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The state counsel further argued that considering the historical background of Punjab, where terrorism had previously flourished and during which Chief Minister Beant Singh was assassinated, the statements made by co-accused Amritpal Singh are significant. He suggested that the nature of the crime and the manner in which it was committed warrant the dismissal of the petitions of both accused.
The state counsel also drew attention to the custody certificate of Gurbhej Singh, alias Bheja, who was involved in six other criminal cases. The earlier petition of Gurpreet Singh was dismissed by the court, and apart from an increase in his custody period, there was no change in circumstance.
“I have considered submissions from both sides and have appraised the record. Considering all the background facts disclosed in the status reports filed by the police, and in view of the circumstances in which the crime was committed and in which the two petitioners actively participated in the crime along with the co-accused,” the court noted while dismissing the applications.