CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government is releasing 300 Sikh detainees not facing serious charges as a “goodwill gesture” Punjab home secretary A.S.Chatha told PTI here Sunday reports. The first batch of 14 was released on May 14.
Chatha said the detainees were being released on the assurance that they would reform themselves. At least 50% of them were already on bail he said.
The government has accepted recommendation level committees for their ease after the latter had scrutinized their cases.
Chatha said there were about 1000 more detainees in the state and added that they were not being released as they were facing serious charges of murder and robberies.
The home secretary said some Sikh youth were under detention in the neighboring states of Haryana and Rajasthan The Punjab government had no jurisdiction to examine their cases and only the governments of the concerned states could take them up he said.
Reliable sources however told WSN that the number of Sikhs in illegal detention may be well over 15000.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 17, 1991
