Sikh prisoners issue back in focus as court reviews jail transfer plea

The Intelligence Bureau has told the Supreme Court that shifting Jagtar Singh Hawara to a Punjab jail could significantly impact upcoming state Assembly elections. Hawara is currently serving a life sentence in Delhi's Tihar jail for the 1995 assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and has filed a plea to move closer to his ailing mother. The apex court has posted the matter to February 22, 2027. The demand for the release of Sikh prisoners, known as Bandi Singhs, has been a recurring political topic for 14 years. In 2023, protesters under the banner of the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha marched toward Chandigarh from Mohali to demand the release of prisoners who have served more than normal life sentences. The Chandigarh Police stopped the march at the city border, leading to an ongoing indefinite agitation known as a pakka morcha. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and several political parties have expressed support or sympathy for these demands. Activist Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa started a hunger strike in November 2013 to bring the issue into Punjab's political discourse, followed by a similar fast by Surat Singh Khalsa. Over the years, several prisoners have been released or granted parole. The Shiromani Gurdhara Parbandhak Committee has compiled a list of 21 prisoners, while the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha focuses on nine prisoners who have spent between 15 and 31 years in jail. Several prominent figures linked to past cases have already secured release or parole. Dilbagh Singh was released in December 2018 following advocacy by UK-based Sikh Relief and orders from the Punjab government under then Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Nand Singh was released in 2019 from Patiala Central Jail, and Lal Singh, convicted under TADA, was permanently released in 2020. Others like Daya Singh Lahoria and Harnek Singh Bhap are out on permanent parole. Gurmeet Singh, Shamsher Singh, and Lakhwinder Singh have been out on interim bail since 2023. Devinderpal Singh Bhullar and Gurdeep Singh Khera have spent over 31 years in custody and are on regular parole, though they remain in prison. Four prisoners on the Morcha list have never stepped outside jail on parole. Paramjit Singh Bheora has spent over 27 years in Model Jail, Burail, and has one pending case. Balwant Singh Rajoana has spent over 30 years in prison, with his death sentence stayed by the Union Home Ministry in 2012, though a writ petition for formal commutation is pending in the Supreme Court. Hawara has spent over 30 years in prison and faces pending cases in Mohali and Chandigarh. Jagtar Singh alias Tara, arrested in 1995, has three pending cases in Patiala and Jalandhar.

Context

The issue of Sikh prisoners remains a sensitive and long-standing topic in Punjab politics, intersecting with legal battles, historical militant cases, and ongoing demands for clemency or transfer. Political parties frequently navigate these sentiments as various groups push for the release or relief of convicts who have served decades behind bars. Court decisions and intelligence inputs regarding high-profile prisoners often influence political debates in the state ahead of elections.