Chandigarh: Punjab Police on Tuesday released a set of pictures of the fugitive Amritpal Singh, suspecting that he has been changing appearances to flee successfully without being caught. The officials also recovered the car in which the 'Waris Punjab De' leader fled, and informed that Singh visited a Gurudwara in Nangal Ambian village in Jalandhar district before changing his clothes and fleeing again.
Addressing a press conference, Punjab IGP Sukhchain Singh Gill said the police have arrested four people who helped Amirtpal Singh. They have been booked under the Arms Act, he said. "The Brezza car, in which Amritpal Singh fled, has been recovered by the Police. He was helped by four people," he said.
"Arms Act has been invoked against the four people who helped him. An important fact has come to light that Amritpal Singh, after fleeing, visited the Gurudwara in Nangal Ambian village (in Jalandhar district) and changed his clothes before fleeing again. This came to be known in the questioning of the four people who have been nabbed," he added.
Further releasing the pictures of the Khalistani sympathizer, Punjab Police said, "There are several pictures of Amritpal Singh in different attires. We are releasing all of these pictures so it can help us in his arrest." One of the pictures shows Amritpal Singh as clean-shaven, while the other one shows him without his turban, making him hardly recognizable to an unintentional eye.
Gill further said that the law and order situation is under control in Punjab and there is peace and calm in the state. Earlier in the day, the Punjab government told the Punjab and Haryana high court that the National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against Amritpal Singh.
Further informing that the National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against Amritpal Singh, Gill said, "A non-bailable warrant has been issued against him on March 18. Police are working as per law. People have suspicions, but the prime accused (Amritpal Singh) has not been arrested yet. As soon as the arrest is made, we will inform you," he said.
Meanwhile, Punjab Advocate General Vinod Ghai told the High Court in a hearing that a search for the Waris Punjab De leader is on. "We were armed but we refrained from using force. Some matters are so sensitive, that can't be explained in court. We are doing a good job in action against Amritpal. NSA has been imposed on him," the AG told the court.
Amritpal's lawyer told the court that Amritpal Singh's father Tarsem Singh was present in court. To this, the court said that since Singh's father was not a party before it he cannot be heard and if he wanted to submit something, he should file an application. The court was adjourned till the next hearing slated after four days. It also sought a fresh affidavit from the government.
Punjab Police on Saturday launched an operation against Amritpal Singh and his aides. The police said that a total of 114 arrests have been made in the case so far, and there is a strong suspicion of ISI angle and foreign funding. (With Agency Inputs)
