AMRITSAR: All the 40 accused including six women in the Operation Black Thunder case were Jan 23rd ordered to be released by s special court here.
Besides sedition murder and attempt to murder the accused were charged for waging war against India. The case was registered soon after Operation Black Thunder in May1988.
Designated court judge S S Grewal discharged the case accepting the pleas of the defence counsels that prosecution failed to make out any case against the accused. The judge in his judgment said there is no sufficient ground for the prosecution against the accused and they stand discharged.
Among those who were facing the trial were the Sikh Panthic Committee spokesmen Bhai Nirvair Singh militants Milikiat Singh Ajnala and Bhai Chanchal Singh who surrendered to the security forces The women included the wives of some militants including Bhai Sunjit Singh Painta and Bhai Malkiat Singh.
The case was framed against 110 of the 146 persons who surrendered to the security forces on May 18 at the end of the ten-daylong operation which was launched immediately after the alleged attack on the then DIG CRPFSS Virk outside temple.
Sixty four of them were later discharged on withdrawal of cases by the prosecution two of the remaining 46 died during trial and four absconded after being released on bail.
Judge said prosecution could not make out any link of the accused with the attempted murder of Virk . .
Article extracted from this publication >> February 1, 1991
