Supreme Court Denies Amritpal Singh's Plea Against NSA Detention While Serving as Khadoor Sahib MP

Despite his imprisonment, Amritpal Singh successfully claimed victory in the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency. (File)

The Supreme Court declined on Monday to consider a petition filed by Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh challenging his ongoing detention under the National Security Act (NSA).

A judicial panel comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria noted that the appropriate procedure for the petitioner would be to initially approach the jurisdictional High Court.

Given the length of his continued detention, the bench led by Justice Aravind Kumar asked the High Court to complete the proceedings within a six-week timeframe.

In his legal submission, Amritpal Singh - currently held in Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam - argued that preventing an elected Member of Parliament from fulfilling his constitutional responsibilities constituted a violation of his fundamental rights and the collective rights of Khadoor Sahib voters.

The 31-year-old leader of 'Waris Punjab De' was apprehended on March 18, 2023, following an extensive crackdown, and subsequently held under NSA provisions.

Despite being incarcerated, the young Sikh radical secured the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat as an Independent candidate, winning by a margin of 1,97,120 votes against Congress opponent Kulbir Singh Zira. He received brief four-day parole to take his parliamentary oath, an arrangement approved after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raised no objections.

His situation has drawn parallels with other imprisoned leaders who were permitted to take their oaths, including Engineer Rashid from Jammu and Kashmir.

The NSA detention of Amritpal and nine associates has remained under close examination, particularly after the jail's Superintendent, Nipen Das, was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Assam Prisons Act for allegedly providing unauthorized electronic devices inside the facility.

Assam Police reported that these devices enabled Amritpal Singh to access the Internet, allowing him to expand his influence from within the jail.

The Dibrugarh Superintendent of Police explained that while the jail manual contains different provisions for detainees under the NSA, the jail Superintendent violated these regulations by permitting gadgets to reach Amritpal Singh and other inmates.