Ranjit Singh Riar son of Sardar Buta Singh, resident or house No.2214, Sector 15-C, Chandigarh, being duly sworn, deposes and says:

  1. I am a resident of the capital of Punjab State . I am submitting this affidavit in support of the above named defendants who are resisting extradition to India.
  2. In an effort to aid this tribunal, I offer the following information based on my own experience.
  3. I was born on August 15, 1924. I am a graduate of the Punjab University. I retired on August 31, 1982, as Superintendent, Grade-I, from the service of the Punjab Govt. This position is occupied by senior class II Officers of the Govt. I worked in the personal staff of the Governor of Punjab for about a year. Earlier, I worked for about three years as an aide to the late Sardar Partap Singh Kairon, the former Chief Minister of Punjab. I have also been a leading sportsman, having been a member of the Punjab University teams in volley ball, Kabaddi and Wrestling.
  4. Mine is an old Sikh family having links with this faith for about 300 years. I am a full-fledged Amritdhari Sikh with flowing beard and maintaining all Sikh symbols and rituals. I was unanimously elected honorary General Secretary of Gurdwara Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, Sector 15C, Chandigarh, in 1981 and continued in that position until today. Similarly, I was elected unanimously General Secretary of Central co- ordination Committee of Gurdwaras, Chandigarh, in 1962. I am continuing to hold this office.
  5. I was arrested on June 5, 1984, from Gurdwara Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, Sector 15, Chandigarh, by officers and ranks of a battalion belonging to Rajasthan Rifles who invaded the Gurdwara that evening while I and other Sikhs were praying. I was made to understand later that one Major Kausher and one Capt. Dr. Sharma headed the force. Before taking me along, the force ransacked the Gurdwara, broke open the cash box of the Gurdwara and looted its belongings. Even the holy scriptures were thrown hither and thither. The Gurdwara dispensary was also looted and was left without any medicine for the poor and the needy. The loot continued for about 12 hours but nothing incriminating was found.
  6. After ascertaining my identity, the security forces blindfolded me; my hands were fastened behind my back and were taken away after I was mercilessly dumped into a weapon-carrier vehicle. All along I was severely beaten; the beating began right inside the Gurdwara premises. I was constantly asked by the Officers and men put on my torture whether I had organised the murder of Prot. V.N.Tewari of Punjab University, Chandigarh and that would I again seek “Khalistan”,
  7. I was taken to an unknown place, unknown because I could not see with my eyes having been blindfolded. It must be about 2 O’clock at night. I was fastened with ropes and was made to hang from the ceiling of the room. Dried chilies were burnt beneath me to cause me suffocation. At the same time I was beaten up continuously for two hours with a thick electric cable. I was brought down after I lost consciousness. When I again gained consciousness, the process of burning chilies and beating was started. It continued for three days with intervals. Except for a little of water nothing whatsoever was given for eating to me during those three days of hell. The torture caused me severe fever. The beating was nevertheless continued. During that period I was also made to walk on hot sand barefoot due to which boils appeared on my feet. Not to be content with all that, the officers then forced me to walk over shingle and thorns so that injuries on my bare feet caused me further untold pain. Unable to bear all that I fell in a pit where too I was subjected to beating. I was almost dead.
  8. That created some scare among the officers who called a doctor. The doctor took pity on me and sent me to Command Hospital, Sector 12, Chandigarh, with about 30 security men on guard duty. Even in the hospital, one Major Yadav ordered that I should be dumped in a dinghy room and should be released only to be shown to the doctor as and when he came to examine me. Even the doctors and nurses were threatened if they cared for me. It was only through some kindhearted hospital staff that my family members were informed of my whereabouts and my miserable condition. My wife, Sardarni Rashpal Kaur, filed a habeas corpus petition (Criminal Writ petition No. 251 of 1984) in Punjab and Haryana High Court which was heard and decided on June 13, 1984, by Justice Surinder Singh. The result of the court intervention was that I was re- arrested under National Security Act and was lodged in District Jail, Chandigarh.
  9. On seeing my condition, the Jail authorities arranged my medical examination and the official doctor gave the following report on my health.

“Certified that Shri Ranjit Singh, aged 60 years, has been examined by me at 5 p.m. and again at 9.10 p.m. on 12.6.1984 and at 7.30 a.m. on 13.6.1984. He is suffering from fever 104 degrees, body ache, and vertigo, unable to stand on feet having military rubra all over the body and superficial injuries over wrist and feet. He is advised bed rest for one week and is unfit to be produced before the court.

Signed

Medical Officer,

District Jail, Chandigarh”.

I remained in detention under N.S.A. for the period 12.6.1984 to 29.7.1985. While officially detention was revoked on 29.7.1985 but actually I was released from jail on 5.8.1985 as I faced another case under sections 307 (causing injury with intention to kill), 148 and 149 (rioting after unlawful assembly) of the Cr. P.C. This case is not progressing and that speaks of its nature. I was released in the wake of release of most Akali prisoners consequent upon the Akali Dal’s accord with the Govt. of India known as the Rajiv-Longowal accord. It was for the first time in my life that I went to jail and faced a criminal case.

  1. While in in jail, I was kept in condemned prisoner’s cell contrary to jail rules framed under the National Security Act. I was kept thus in the cell for about two months. Facilities due to a political prisoner were denied to me during that period. Conditions in the cell were deplorable. One could freely see rats and snakes.
  2. I have all along been contemplating as to why the Indian State made me a target. I have committed no crime. My religious susceptibilities were hurt in a most crude manner. The Indian forces entered the holy shrine in the wake of the operation “Blue star” with their shoes on, a cardinal sin one could commit against Sikh Religion. Even after my release, my house and the Sector 15 Gurdwara were searched for about eight times. Nothing whatsoever was recovered that could be claimed to be objectionable. These raids were made by about a score of security forces and the time invariably chosen was a little after midnight. At least once, the Akali Patrika, an important Punjabi Daily, took editorial notice of the raids on my house.
  3. If a person of my social status could be treated in such cruel a manner by the Indian Govt., the treatment which is in store for others could only be imagined. There is no process of law for Sikhs in India. Nor there is any justice for them under the present circumstances.
  4. Because of the distance and cost involved, I am unable personally to appear before this hon’ble court. However, if the court summons me at its own cost I shall be glad to depose before it to tell the truth.

Chandigarh:

October 5, 1987.