NEW DELHI, Jan 8: Centre today ruled out premature release of convicts in serious crimes like killing of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh but expressed willingness to examine other cases selectively as Punjab Government made a formal demand for freeing all prisoners of the State.
Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh here and demanded release of all the prisoners of the State “who have served their jail terms” and dismissed criticism over the move as a “wrong impression”.
Badal, who was accompanied by SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar, appealed to Singh to “direct the various state Governments holding Sikh detainees who have completed their required sentence and are eligible for release under the ‘premature release policy’ to free them forthwith”.
The chief of Akali Dal, which is a key ally of BJP, told Singh that there were 182 life convicts in jails in Punjab who had undergone the minimum sentence and could be considered for premature release subject to the parameters prescribed in the policy. There are reportedly 13 others in other five states.
Senior Home Ministry officials later indicated that legal opinion could be taken in select cases like old people and those having completed 20 years in prison but not those convicted in serious charges.
“There is no question of softening of stand in terror cases. No commitment has been given to Badal on releasing any prisoner. There is no question of releasing people like those who were convicted for killing Beant Singh,” an official said.
“However, selected cases may be legally examined.. Ways may be explored to examine legally the possibility of releasing those who have completed at least 20 years in prison,” the official said.
The MHA official said the Government cannot release someone convicted for a crime like assassination of Beant Singh at a time when Thailand arrested a fugitive Sikh terrorist following India’s persistent request.
Gurmeet Singh alias Jagtar “Tara” Singh, former member of the Babbar Khalsa International, was arrested in the eastern province of Chon Buri in Thailand on January 5. He had been convicted for life for his involvement in the assassination of Beant Singh along with 17 others in 1995 but he had escaped from a prison in Chandigarh.
Seeking the release on “humanitarian grounds”, Badal said there was a sentiment in Punjab that those detainees, who had already completed their sentences and were eligible for premature release, should be released forthwith.
“When a prisoner spends more than the stipulated period in jail but is still not released despite eligibility for the same, it causes resentment amongst his near and dear ones and also gives rise for agitation among particular sections of society,” he told the Home Minister.
Asked what assurance he received from the Home Minister, he said, “we have given them the names and the letters and the Home Minister said he will go through this and let it be legally examined”.
Brushing aside criticism for making the demand and being labelled as “anti-national”, Badal said a “wrong impression” is being created against the State Government that it was seeking release of prisoners without having completed their terms.
“We met the Home Minister Rajnath Singh with a request that people who have served their jail terms and completed them and as per law they are entitled for a consideration for release, their case should be sympathetically heard. We are not seeking for people who have not served their terms,” he told reporters here.
He said there are a lot of people who have served their sentences for 25 to 30 years and some of them have crossed the age of 90 years and have even turned blind. “We are asking for their release on humanitarian grounds,” he said.
The Akali leader insisted that this was not the first time a state is making a demand for release of its prisoners having completed their terms.
A row has been triggered after Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal wrote to his counterparts in five states some time back, demanding release of 13 terrorists, including killers of former Chief Minister Beant Singh.
Congress yesterday said the matter was serious and wanted BJP to break its ties with Akali Dal. (PTI)
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