AMRITSAR: Special Designated Judge G.S. Sidhu fixed December 5 as the date for the next hearing of the cases of 46 persons arrested during Operation Black Thunder.

Mr. Sidhu who was appointed the Special Judge for hearing the case of the Black Thunder detainees had earlier withdrawn the case of waging war against the State against 64 of the 110 persons who had surrendered during the operation in May last year. However a majority of the 64 persons were rearrested on other charges.

While hearing the cases of the 46 detainees Mr. Sidhu said the cases of waging war against the state would be heard on December 5. The other cases in which the detainees were involved would be heard every Thursday in the high security central jail here.

During the hearing the judge acquitted dreaded terrorist Mal kiat Singh Ajnala of the “Khali stan Commando Force” (KCF) in a case registered against him under Section 307 in the city kotwali. The case was registered when he had tried to escape from the Golden Temple complex during the operation.

Another undertrial Amar Singh Brar was also acquitted of a case filed against him at the Lopke police station involving the murder of three persons prior to the operation.

However the Judge made it clear that the cases of waging war against the State registered against these two persons had not been withdrawn.

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 20, 1989