SC refuses to entertain MP Amritpal Singh’s plea challenging detention under NSA

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea filed by Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh challenging his continued detention under the National Security Act (NSA).

A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria observed that the appropriate course for the petitioner would be to first move the jurisdictional High Court.

Considering the duration of his continued detention, the Justice Aravind Kumar-led Bench requested the High Court to conclude the proceedings within six weeks.

In his writ petition, Amritpal Singh — currently lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam — contended that preventing an elected Member of Parliament from discharging his constitutional duties amounted to a violation of his fundamental rights as well as the collective rights of the Khadoor Sahib electorate.

The 31-year-old chief of ‘Waris Punjab De’ was arrested on March 18, 2023, following a major crackdown, and subsequently detained under NSA provisions.

Despite being incarcerated, the 31-year-old Sikh radical won the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat as an Independent candidate by a margin of 1,97,120 votes over Congress rival Kulbir Singh Zira. He was briefly granted a four-day parole to take oath in the Lok Sabha, a move cleared after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) offered no objection.

His case has drawn comparisons to other incarcerated leaders permitted to take the oath, including Engineer Rashid from Jammu and Kashmir.

The NSA detention of Amritpal and nine of his aides has remained under scrutiny, especially after the jail’s Superintendent, Nipen Das, was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Assam Prisons Act for allegedly supplying unauthorised gadgets inside the facility.

Assam Police said the devices allowed Amritpal Singh access to the Internet, enabling him to expand his reach from inside the jail.

The Dibrugarh Superintendent of Police said that the jail manual has different provisions for detainees under the NSA, but the jail Superintendent violated it by allowing gadgets to reach Amritpal Singh and other inmates.

IANS