NEW YORK: The Honorable Robert W Sweet, US district Judge for the Southern district of New York, on Sept 27, reversed the order of extradition against S Sukhminder Singh Sandhu and S Ranjit Singh Gill. He ruled that the Indian govt deliberately and knowingly introduced into evidence a false confession from a co accused Sukhdev Singh. The Indian govt knew that this alleged confession had been declared involuntary and untrue by a court in India in May 1988. The US court ruled that the Indian govt deliberately suppressed information and tried to mislead the US court. Judge Sweet ruled that S Ranjit Singh Gill and S Sukbminder S Sandhu were entitled to a new extradition hearing and ordered that the case be sent back to New Jersey for further proceedings.

Because the judge made the decision on these grounds, he did not address the matter of the misconduct by former prosecutor Judy Russel of manufacturing false death threats that in itself may have required a new hearing, the judge however did say that her conduct was unfortunate and serious. He went on to say that her conduct was shocking to the judicial conscience.

Both S, S Ranjit Singh and S Sukhminder Singh were very pleased with the verdict. This marks a major victory for them in their fight against being extradited to India. However there are extensive hearings which will be held in the future which will ultimately decide their fate.

‘The two were arrested at the behest of the Indian govt in the Lalit Maken and A S Vaidya murder conspiracy in May 1987.

Ever since the Indian govt has tried by fair means and foul to have the two young men extradited. Had this come about, there is no question that the two, innocent men would have been hanged much as Kehar Singh was in the Indira Gandhi case,

The attorneys involved, Mr William M Kunstler, Ms. Mary D Pike and Mr. Ronald L Kuby wish to thank the international Sikh community for the support and attention for justice to the two brave Sikh youth.

STOCKTON: In December last year Amnesty International too had filed a brief on behalf of the two Sikh youths. The brief had concluded that Sikhs in India faced a definite risk of being tortured and being killed extra judicially.

STOCKTON: The reversal of the extradition case against S Sukhminder Singh and S Ranjit Singh has been widely hailed by individuals and organisations both in Punjab and America.

S Ranjit Singh said they wished to thank the Sikh community for their total support to them. In particular they wished to thank their lawyers

Dr  Sohan Singh on behalf of the Panthic Committee and the militant organisations said this was a milestone in the Sikh struggle He congratulated the WSO§. Simranjit Singh conveyed his happiness to S, Jagjit Singh Mangat when he called the latter in New York’s. Mangat has been in the forefront in fighting this case.

S Simranjit Singh Mann and Baba Wassan Singh wished to congratulate the Sikh community on this great victory for the Panth. Bhai Daljit Singh Khalsa,

President of the Sikh Students Federation said he was overjoyed to hear the news. It was a great day for him personally as well as for the panth, he said.

‘The black deeds of the Indian had been exposed, he said

‘S Gian Singh Sandhu, WSO International President, S Didar Singh Bains, founder president WSO and S GS. Dhillon WSO USA president sent messages saying that they were very pleased to note that Ranjit Singh and Sukhminder Singh have had a decision in their favour in their extradition case. We wish to congratulate all Sikhs and thank all those who worked hard to get them a fair trial, they said in separate statements. S Dhillon also said the Indian govt will certainly fail in its design to subjugate Sikhs.

The PHRO president and the secretary Sukhdev Singh and D.S. Gill in Chandigarh said the US judiciary had regained its prestige as an impartial and fair legal system with this decision.

Justice Ajit Singh Bains said in London this would certainly prove to be a landmark in the Sikh struggle against oppression.

At the time of going to the press, WSN had received over 70 phone calls from all over North America and England from Sikhs expressing their happiness at the outcome of the extradition case.

Make Continence Your Furnance and Patience Your Goldsmith;

 Make Understanding, Your Anvil And Divine Knowledge

Your Tool Guru Nanak

Article extracted from this publication >> October 5, 1990