Arrested Singhs' Kin Appeals to Premier McGuinty
Wednesday 17th of January 2007 Released by Sikh Federation (UK)
Ontario, Canada - Hardeep Singh, son of Amolak Singh and a cousin of Jasvinder Singh who are both falsely arrested in Punjab last month, sent a letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty as he departed on a business mission that he is leading of more than 100 Ontarians.
The delegation represents 87 Ontario companies, universities and other organisations as well as government. Premier McGuinty will meet with key government decision-makers in New Delhi. The mission to India will conclude in Punjab with business events in Chandigarh, Jalandhar and Amritsar.
The schedule for India is from January, 14th to 21st, 2007. They will them move on to Pakistan before returning to Toronto on January 26th.
Text of Hardeep Singh's Letter:
13 January 2007
Dear Premier Dalton McGuinty
PLEASE HELP STOP THE TORTURE OF MY FATHER AND COUSIN WHO HAVE BEEN FALSELY ARRESTED BY THE PUNJAB POLICE
1. I would like to bring to your attention the case of three Sikhs who have been arrested in India and have been tortured.
2. The three Sikhs, Paramjeet Singh also known as Panjab Singh (54), is from the West and a British citizen, along with my father Amolak Singh (52) and my cousin Jasvinder Singh (23) were arrested under mysterious circumstances by the Punjab Police on 23 December 2006 and accused of seeking to cause unrest in the Punjab. Paramjeet Singh a grandfather was on vacation in Punjab, together with his wife and granddaughter aged 3. Having spent over two months in Punjab with his family he was due to return to the UK on 27 December.
3. After their arrest all three men had their articles of faith removed, were stripped naked and were tortured to try and force them to sign confessional statements. Despite being a British citizen the British High Commission staff and Paramjeet Singh's wife and family were denied access to him after his arrest. I fear for my father and cousin who are Indian citizens and will not be afforded the same protection
as Paramjeet Singh. Please use your good office to intervene and help on my behalf and the Canadian Sikh community.
4. The three victims claim to have committed no crime. The Indian press have exposed many gaps in the police story and that the three are being held on fabricated charges of possessing explosives. With the Punjab Assembly elections taking place on 13 February, it is
clear from the reports emerging that these arrests are part of a political conspiracy to discredit Sikhs. The three are being used and abused for political ends as the main political parties make claims and counter claims.
5. Despite police threats to keep quiet when they have appeared in court, upon leaving court the accused have stated on national TV that the Police were torturing and mistreating them to force them to sign confessional statements admitting they were involved in criminal activities, despite the fact that they had stated they were innocent.
6. It is outrageous that representatives of the British High Commission were forced to wait for a week to get access to Paramjeet Singh. The two-member team from the British High Commission have now heard first hand from him about the torture he and my father and cousin have been subjected to. My father and cousin have been treated even more poorly than Paramjeet Singh as they are Indian citizens. I personally
appeal you while you are on a visit to Punjab to build ties with Punjab to help my family. The British High Commission has taken serious note of the lack of access, the use of torture and fabrication of charges. The actions of the Punjab Police are totally unacceptable and need to be challenged and exposed internationally.
7. On your visit I encourage you to:
1) Meet with the Chief Minister of Punjab and demand the Punjab Police stop the use of torture to obtain confessional statements; stop fabricating evidence to justify the arrests; highlight that it is totally unacceptable to deny Paramjeet Singh the right to meet his family and access to the British High Commission; that the Canadian authorities will keep a close eye on how my father and cousin are being treated as you have been approached by their family who live in Canada and that the three men should be released if they are innocent and have been picked up for political reasons.
2) Raise this matter in writing with the Indian Prime Minister requesting the Indian authorities to explain the actions of the Punjab Police against the three Sikhs.
3) Meet with the Director General of Police - S S Virk to protest against how the three Sikhs have been treated and call for their immediate release in the absence of genuine evidence.
Yours sincerely,
Hardeep Singh
Source:Panthic Weekly: Arrested Singhs' Kin Appeals to Premier McGuinty
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