Jalandhar: A Nawanshahr-based special court has acquitted 15 people of all charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with a Jan 2022 FIR. However, nine of the accused were convicted under the Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act. The remaining six were acquitted of all charges.The maximum sentence in the case is three years, despite most of the accused having already spent approximately four years in jail during the trial.
Additional sessions judge Harish Anand, presiding over the designated special UAPA court, pronounced the order on Jan 22. The FIR was registered on Jan 7, 2022, following the arrest of Amandeep Kumar (alias Mantri), who was accused of links to Pakistan-based criminal and anti-national elements. Police alleged that Mantri—in connivance with Sukhpreet Singh (based in Greece), Rajinder Singh (lodged in Kapurthala Jail), and associates Pehlwan, Teeta, Dholki, and Ramandeep Sharma—procured arms and ammunition from Pakistan. Police claimed that Amandeep, along with associates Navi and Raman Sharma, conspired to disturb the peace in the Nawanshahr area. During the investigation, 14 additional arrests were made, and police claimed to recover 4.5 kg of RDX, electric detonators, an AK-47 rifle, and other ammunition. The police also alleged that the accused disclosed the involvement of the late Pakistan-based terrorist Lakhvir Singh Rode. The court, however, said, during cross-examination, a police witness admitted there was no evidence on record to prove the accused had engaged in unlawful activities against the state during the period in question. Furthermore, the investigation failed to ascertain the origin of the seized weapons. In his judgment, Judge Anand said, “The investigation is conspicuously silent regarding any credible evidence of raising, collecting, transferring, or using funds for terrorist activities. No financial trail or independent witness was examined to substantiate such allegations.” Consequently, the court held that the prosecution failed to prove charges under sections 13, 16, 17, 18, 18-B, and 20 of the UAPA beyond a reasonable doubt. While Amandeep Mantri and Sukhpreet Singh received three-year sentences under the Explosives and Arms Acts, others received sentences ranging from two to three years. Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, representing three of the accused, said that because the group was booked under the UAPA, they were denied bail for the entirety of the trial. MSID:: 127477560 413 |
