Falsely accused under UAPA, Dalit man struggles to rebuild life after 4 years in jail

Kirat was arrested connected December 19, 2020, nether the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Arms Act, on with co-accused Amandeep Singh, Gurdeep Singh, and Sanju Kumar.

“I was taken to Mall Mandi interrogation centre successful Amritsar, wherever I was tortured. My hairsbreadth was pulled, and I was deed connected the caput with shoes. The symptom inactive lingers. I didn’t adjacent cognize the co-accused successful the case,” Kirat said.

“I americium a divorcee, and my girl was conscionable six years aged erstwhile I was arrested. Now, adjacent aft my release, she has not travel to conscionable maine retired of fearfulness that the constabulary volition instrumentality maine distant again,” helium added.

Kirat said his household faced immense hardship during his judicial custody. “My household was seldom allowed to conscionable me. My parent came to spot maine during tribunal hearings, but the constabulary would propulsion her away. She died successful February 2023. I couldn’t be her cremation due to the fact that my household didn’t person the assurance oregon resources to question parole.”

The constabulary chargesheet against Kirat alleged that he, on with others, had conspired with Germany-based Prabhpreet Singh Sidhu to transportation retired violent attacks, targeting Hindu leaders and Punjab Police officers. It claimed their purpose was to disrupt communal harmony and revive the Khalistan movement.

However, the tribunal recovered nary grounds to enactment these allegations. In its judgment, the Additional Sessions Judge of Amritsar, Baljinder Singh, wrote, “Nothing was recovered connected the ground of disclosure statements, and the confession recorded is neither applicable nor admissible successful evidence. Therefore, the accused cannot beryllium convicted lone connected the ground of specified statements. There is not an iota of grounds against the accused persons to link them with offences nether Sections 13, 17, 18, 18-B, and 20 of the UAPA.”

Kirat and 2 others were convicted nether the Arms Act for 2 years but had already spent 4 years successful jail. Despite the judgement being delivered connected January 2, Kirat was released lone connected January 18.

“We are considering challenging the Arms Act conviction. Bail nether the Arms Act tin beryllium secured aft 3 months of arrest, but nether the UAPA, it is astir intolerable to get bail quickly. That is wherefore the constabulary fabricate mendacious stories to support guiltless radical successful jail,” said quality rights lawyer Jaspal Singh Manjhpur.

Manjhpur highlighted the timing of Kirat’s arrest, stating, “He was arrested during the farmers’ protests connected the Delhi border, a clip erstwhile determination was an effort to represent Punjab arsenic a disturbed state. The media wide covered his apprehension for alleged Khalistan links.”

Of the 5 cases filed against Kirat, helium has been discharged from four.