NEW YORK — The abuse of discretionary powers by immigration judge in settling bonds ranging from twenty thousand to seventy thousand for Sikh boys charged with minor immigration violations ‘was partially corrected when the bonds were reduced to a range of five to seven thousand dollars by the Federal Judge. This judgment was given in the appeal made on behalf of the boys to the US, district courts in the lower Manhattan.
The case was perused by S. Harbhajan Singh Gill and S. Ram Rachhpal Singh. They were supported by S. Baldev Singh and Sikh Cultural Society in their efforts.
During May June last year (1985) FBI and US Immigration authorities rounded up several Sikh young men under the pretext that they may cause disturbances .During Rajiv Gandhi’s visit to U.S.A. US authorities were claiming that these persons are security task and have close connections with the other alleged terrorists but inspire of their best efforts the FBI could not gather any evidence to support these allegations. These Sikh men had minor immigration Violations for which the bonds are set in the range of two thousand dollars to ten thousand dollars, But FBI and other authorities prevailed upon the immigration judge and thus were successful in setting the bonds very high, ranging from twenty five thousand dollars to seventy thousand dollars, Early this year an appeal was made on behalf of the boys to the US District courts in the lower Man Haitian to reduce the amount of these bonds, During his comments the US judge observed the abuse of immigration judge’s discretionary Powers and asked the US authorities to produce other cases in Which similarly high bonds are set Where no criminal and other charge €5 are involved, since there were No criminal or other charges levied Against these boys. Failing to produce any satisfactory proof of this sort the US authorities agreed to lower the bonds for all of the boys, amount ranging from five to seven thousand dollars, Considering that the boys have been languishing and incarcerated in jails for over a year, though with three to four months of more legal battle this amount could have been lowered to few hundred dollars, the petitioning party decided to accept the US government’s offer of these lower bonds, on which the judge commended the representatives of the Sikhs and persons representing the boys for the right decision in helping the young men getting out Of jail soon.
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