Amritsar (Punjab): Lovepreet Singh alias 'Toofan', the accomplice of Radical preacher Amritpal Singh and an accused in a case involving kidnapping, walked out of prison here on Friday, a day after hundreds of protesters laid a siege to a police station demanding his release. Lovepreet Singh was released from the Amritsar Central Jail, hours after a court in Ajnala issued orders to release him from custody based on an application by the police.
It may be recalled that Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh's supporters on Thursday barged into a police station in Ajnala on the outskirts of Amritsar city demanding assurance from the police about the release of Lovepreet Singh. The Punjab police then moved an application before the court for releasing Lovepreet Singh because the investigation found that he was not present at the spot when the offence was committed.
Security was beefed up at Ajnala police station and Ajnala town here on Friday. Lovepreet Singh was welcomed by the supporters when he walked out of the jail. Earlier, after the court issued its order, Amritpal Singh told reporters that the release of his aide was the "Victory of the Panth". "He was put in jail in a false case," alleged Amritpal Singh.
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Dubai-returned Amritpal Singh, who heads an organisation called 'Waris Punjab De', on Thursday spoke to reporters at the police station, issuing an "ultimatum" for the release of Lovepreet Singh. In its order, the court said, "Since the accused is no more required by the investigating officer for judicial custody, accordingly, accused Lovepreet Singh is discharged from the custody only and be released".
"It is made clear that the accused Lovepreet Singh..is discharged from custody. A direction is issued to the SHO concerned to conduct an investigation in the case and submit its report. The necessary intimation is sent to Superintendent of Jail, Amritsar, in this connection," Manpreet Kaur, Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Ajnala, said in her order. A long cavalcade of vehicles led by Amritpal Singh had headed towards the jail from Ajnala town to receive Lovepreet Singh. They later went to the Golden Temple to pay obeisance there.
It may be noted that a case was registered in Ajnala on February 16 against Amritpal Singh and his 30 supporters for allegedly kidnapping and thrashing Barinder Singh, a resident of Chamkaur Sahib in Rupnagar district. Barinder Singh, in his complaint, had told police that Amritpal Singh's associates had abducted him from Ajnala and taken him to an unknown place where he was brutally thrashed. The case was registered against the accused under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code. Six policemen were hurt during Thursday's clash, officials said.
Amritpal Singh told reporters that police had used force against some of his supporters on Thursday without any provocation. He further stated, "Yesterday's situation could have been averted had the police listened to us. The consequences which arose were not created by me. The administration had sought time earlier, we gave them time till Wednesday. We came here on to Thursday," he said referring to the demand for Lovepreet Singh's release. (With agency inputs)
