CHANDIGARH: The Khalistani ideologue and Akal Federation chief Kanwar Singh Dhami, was last week sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment under TADA and various sections of the IPC. District and Sessions Judge Amar Dutt sentenced the militant leader to five years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 under section 4(1) of TADA, and three years” rigorous imprisonment each under sections 124(A) (sedition), 153 (A) (making provocative speeches) and 505 (waging war against the state) of the IPC, He was also fined Rs 6,000 under these sections.
‘The judge ordered that all four sentences would run concurrently and the period spent as an under trial by Dhami would be treated as part of the punishment period. It means that Dhami shall have to remain in the jail for at least two more years. Kanwar Singh Dhami who was facing trial under various acts was convicted by the same court on July 25, while his wife, Kulbir Kaur, was acquitted. Dhami’s application, seeking summoning of former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, among others, was rejected by the court. Dhami along with his wife was arrested on March 27, 1994, at Anandpur Sahib by the Ropar police for making provocative speeches. He was lodged in Burail jail here.
Dhami’s counsel pleaded that Dhami, being held under charges of waging war against India, was a prisoner of war. The session’s judge reserved his judgment till later, on an application moved by the defence counsel, praying for grant of necessary benefits of prisoner of war and demanding to place him under house arrest. Counsel for Dhami, Amar Singh Chahal and P.S. Hundal, pleaded that as they had to move the High Court for appeal against the order of this court regarding quantum of punishment. The sentence thus is deferred for the time being.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 14, 1996
