CHANDIGARH: Justice SD Bajaj of the Punjab and Haryana High Court quashed on July 31 the detention of Sukhjinder Singh a former Punjab Education Minister and senior Akal Dal leader currently detained at Tihar jail in New Delhi.
The writ petition challenging his detentions was filed by his son Sukhpal Singh on various counts inter alias that no detention order was passed on the basis of seven allegations against him including activities prejudicial to the security of the state.
No criminal proceedings against him on the basis of any of those allegations were launched: Not even a single criminal case was registered. The order was passed on a totally fabricated in
intelligence report and for extraneous consideration. No opportunity for hearings and producing witnesses before the advisory board was given to the petitioner which alone rendered the action wholly unconstitutional, the petition stated rendered the action’ wholly unconstitutional the petition stated.
Advocates H.S. Matewal and RS. Randhawa pointed to the court that the petitioner had applied to the advisory board for permission to produce witnesses to disprove the allegations against him. The high court had ordered the board to do so.
Matewal maintained that the board had neither called the detainee nor examined the witnesses inspite of the high court order.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 4, 1989
