Jailed ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh gets 4-day parole to take oath as MP

CHANDIGARH: Pro-Khalistani and ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh, who recently won the Khadoor Sahib parliamentary seat in Punjab, is likely to take oath as Lok Sabha member on July 5.

Singh who is currently lodged in Assam’s Dibrugarh jail along with nine associates under the National Security Act, has been granted a four-day parole to enable him to take oath.

This was announced by Faridkot MP Sarbjeet Singh Khalsa on his social media account. Khalsa is the son of Beant Singh who is one of the assailants of Prime Minister Indra Gandhi. Khalsa wrote on his Facebook that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had confirmed the date for Amritpal Singh’s swearing-in.

According to sources in Punjab police, Amritpal Singh is likely to be flown directly to Delhi from Dibrugarh jail and then taken to the Lok Sabha Speaker’s chamber where he will be administered the oath.

Recently, the Punjab Government had forwarded an application to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for granting parole to Singh to take oath of office.

“Everything required for Amritpal’s oath taking is done. He will take oath on July 5 and will be brought back to the Dibrugarh Jail,” said a top state government functionary.

“The parole has been granted only for oath-taking. The parole of up to four days is given to make sure that he can be flown in on any of these four days, considering the variations in weather conditions that could disrupt his transit. The parole has been given with certain conditions that have been communicated to the jail superintendent in Dibrugarh,’’ he added.

“Singh has been granted parole for upto 4 days or less beginning on July 5 with certain conditions that have been communicated to Jail Superintendent Dibrugarh. He will be flown from Dibrugarh to Delhi and back,’’ confirmed Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar, Ghansham Thori.

Singh’s temporary release was sought under Section 15 of the National Security Act.